U.S., South American corn producers form alliance

   The U.S. Grains Council (USGC), along with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), MAIZAR, representing Argentinian producers and the maize supply chain, and ABRAMILHO (Brazilian Association of Corn Producers) signed a memorandum of understanding this week to form an alliance of North and South American corn producers to collaborate to address key issues concerning food security, biotechnology, stewardship, trade and producer image.
   The organizations will operate under the name, MAIZALL (The International Maize Alliance).
   “As both populations and economies continue to grow, the global middle class is expanding rapidly. World population is expected to increase more than 30 percent in the next 40 years, from 7 billion in 2012 to more than 9 billion in 2050,” said Don Fast, USGC chairman, in a statement. “The increase in population and buying power has led to an ever-growing demand for maize and other food and feed ingredients as diets are improving globally.”
   “Food Security is a priority for every country,” added Pam Johnson, NCGA president. “Countries can be food-secure without being self-sufficient by establishing relationships and building trust with exporting countries to be long-term, reliable suppliers of quality feed and food supplies.”
   The primary focus of the new alliance is emphasize the need for better consumer understanding of production agriculture, including the benefits of biotechnology and advancing the global acceptance on the capacity to produce maize for feed, food and fuel. MAIZALL will also conduct outreach to governments and stakeholders on the need for trade-enabling biotechnology policies and regulatory procedures. — Chris Gillis