Alan Tiemann, NCB: 402.643.0721
Mike Deering, USCC: 202.789.0789
Japanese media team impressed with Nebraska corn, farming practices
LINCOLN, NE — A team of journalists from Japan were in Nebraska this week, hosted by the Nebraska Corn Board as part of a U.S. Grains Council trade mission. Japan is a major buyer of U.S. corn, beef and other agriculture products.
For some members on the team, this trip to the United States was the first time they had ever seen corn growing in fields.
“The size and scope of agriculture in the Midwest is impressive if you’ve never seen it, while the technology and management practices used by farmers today demonstrates our commitment to the land,” said Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board and a farmer from Seward. The team visited Tiemann’s farm as part of the tour.
The team included reporters from three major Japanese newspapers, one major newswire and two industry newspapers. Two representatives from a consumer’s union group were also along.
“Team members were impressed by the high quality of Nebraska corn and the farmers’ use of agronomics and biotechnology to produce an abundant crop more efficiently,” said Tommy Hamamoto, the U.S. Grains Council’s director in Japan, who accompanied the group. “Journalists on the tour have a better understanding as to how U.S. corn is produced and used, which will help them better explain the U.S. grain system in fact-based news articles back home.”
The Nebraska stop was part of a longer mission organized by the Grains Council to provide a forum for team members to learn about the benefits of biotechnology, the U.S. infrastructure for grain distribution and the lifestyle of U.S. farm families. Additional stops were made in Missouri and Washington, D.C.
While in Nebraska, the group visited Darr Feedlot in Cozad, Tiemann’s farm in Seward, the Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center in Gothenberg, Advanced BioEnergy in Fairmont, Bunge Milling in Crete and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
Tiemann said the collection of stops provided a good variety and background on U.S. and Nebraska agriculture for the group.
“They got to see cattle on feed, where distillers grains and corn are fed, and then an ethanol plant where distillers grains is produced,” he said. “The new water learning center impressed the team. They found it very educational and it gave them a chance to see a number of seed technologies at one time. The milling operation and stop at the university added to the foundation of U.S. agriculture we provided for the group.”
Hamamoto said being able to see and feel the biotech corn made an impression.
“We got to see firsthand the advantages of genetically enhanced corn – it had no pest damage or fungal infection,” he said. “Team members really grasped the benefits of biotechnology, for farmers and consumers, and brought to life what we learned by visiting with government officials and industry organizations in Washington.”
Hosting the group gave Nebraska farmers and companies an opportunity to make an impression and promote contemporary and high-tech agriculture, Tiemann added.
“The opportunity to put a name, face and hand-shake on American agriculture is the best way to promote our product and the technology that lets us be so efficient,” he said.
The Nebraska Corn Board is a self-help program, funded and managed by Nebraska corn farmers. Producers invest in the program at a rate of 1/4 of a cent per bushel of corn sold. Nebraska corn checkoff funds are invested in programs of market development, research and education.
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