Global growth expands grain marketing opportunities

For decades, the United States was the undisputed champ of soybean and corn exports. Like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson of their eras, U.S. farmers and grain companies dominated the competition. Now there’s a new king of the ring. Brazil became the world’s largest soybean exporter in 2013. For the next three years, according to University of Illinois analysis, Brazil and the U.S. traded the title. Brazil emerged as the largest soy supplier in 2017 and hasn’t relinquished it. U.S. supremacy as the world’s top corn exporter is also in jeopardy. In 2013 and 2019, Brazil nudged out the U.S. as the leading corn supplier due to weather-related production problems in the U.S. and the U.S. trade war with China, respectively. The U.S. fought back for a few years, but Brazil became the corn export champ again in 2023. Increased production, improved grain transportation and better trade relations with major importers were the knockout punches. “Based on changing dynamics in global agriculture, ...