The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently conducted a mission to Spain to identify further growth opportunities for U.S. sorghum, corn, and corn co-products. Ana Ballesteros, USGC deputy regional director for Europe and the Middle East, traveled to Madrid and Barcelona earlier this month to meet with key industry players and assess market potential.
“U.S. agricultural exports to the European Union have skyrocketed over the past year, and by engaging with key players in mature markets like Spain, the Council is showing its commitment to continuing to provide top-level trade servicing to the customers that contribute to U.S. farmers’ bottom lines,” Ballesteros said.
Spain was the largest importer of feed grains and co-products in the European Union and the top export destination for U.S. corn and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in Marketing Year (MY) 2023/24. So far in MY 2024/25, Spain is the fifth-largest export destination for U.S. corn, with 2.3 million metric tons (90,546,400 bushels) of sales recorded.
In Madrid, Ballesteros and USGC Consultant Loyola Toran met with a significant figure in the agricultural and feed sectors. The discussion focused on current and anticipated domestic feed grain production and import potential, which will help the USGC refine its marketing strategies in the region.
Ballesteros’s activities in Barcelona included:
- Visiting the Seafood Expo, the world’s largest seafood event. This provided insights into marketing opportunities for U.S. DDGS and corn fermented proteins (CFP) in aquaculture feed, an industry with over 35,000 professionals attending annually.
- Presenting at the Barcelona Grains Exchange’s monthly membership meeting. At the Exchange's invitation, Ballesteros provided updated information on U.S. feed grains and co-products, following substantial U.S. corn and DDGS exports to Spain in MY 2023/24. She also highlighted sorghum’s potential in the European market to nearly 60 attendees, including the country's largest feed grains end-users and importers.
“The importers and end-users were very interested in the possibility of additional imports of U.S. corn and DDGS and the potential opportunities for sorghum,” Ballesteros stated. “Their invitation for the Council to speak at their meeting is a great indicator of their desire for high-quality, reliable feed grains that U.S. producers are ready to provide.”
Spain’s feed, poultry, pork, and livestock industries are well-developed and expected to expand, making strong relationships with key market players essential for promoting the value of U.S. feed grains and co-products.
“Spain has a significant domestic cereals production as well as easy access to other competing origins to supply the needed quantities to fill the gap between domestic production and demand,” Ballesteros explained. “Acknowledging these facts is important to understanding the variability of its imports. However, being well-positioned and connected to relevant market players facilitates the market filling this gap with U.S. products.”
According to the USGC, these on-the-ground efforts are crucial for ensuring continued market access for U.S. producers and driving value back to American farms.
