Export Exchange 2026 Concluded with Record Attendance

Image: US Grains & Bio Products Council

The event, organised under the auspices of the US Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC), brought together more than 500 participants from 48 countries.

Export Exchange 2026, organised under the sponsorship of the US Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC), Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), concluded on Saturday. The three-day event focused on new products, sustainability and the value offered by US maize.

Held every two years, Export Exchange brings together buyers and sellers of US-origin maize, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), sorghum and other commodities. The event offers participants the opportunity to network, whilst also providing a chance to gain a close understanding of the needs of buyers worldwide and the quality of US supply.

Record attendance

Ryan LeGrand, President and CEO of the USGBC, stated that this year’s event had broken all previous records, revealing that over 500 participants from 48 countries had attended. LeGrand said this turnout was a testament to the confidence international buyers have in the level of service they receive when purchasing US grains and by-products.

Addressing the participants, LeGrand said, “Whether you are returning home or heading to our partner states to see the US value chain up close, we thank you for taking the time to familiarise yourselves with the US products we are so proud of. We hope you leave with no doubts whatsoever regarding the superiority of US products.”

On the final day of the event, speakers discussed the advantages that US commodities offer to global buyers and how a scalable, transparent export system provides direct access to meeting global grain demand.

During the closing sessions, Joe Ward, Executive Director of the Distillers Technology Council (DTC), shared details of new by-products entering the market. Collin Bradley, International Trade Specialist at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), outlined the department’s efforts to expand exports of US agricultural products. A panel moderated by Mark Sevier, Director of Global Strategies and Trade at the USGBC, discussed the performance and value of US maize.

Prior to the event, 13 trade delegations visited key stakeholders in the maize value chain. Following the conference, a further seven delegations will undertake field visits across the country. These delegations will observe farm operations, examine DDGS production at ethanol plants, tour port facilities and strengthen their relationships with US suppliers.

Both the scope of the event and the level of international participation highlight the scale of the USGBC’s efforts to bridge the gap between global buyers and US suppliers. Through both the conference programme and the field visits, the Council offers buyers the opportunity to see the US agricultural and bio-products supply chain from start to finish.

Concluding with record attendance, Export Exchange 2026 once again provided an opportunity to showcase the US’s strength in the export of grains and by-products – particularly maize, DDGS and sorghum – to international buyers.