The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
-by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Owner/Publisher
Chinese leaders in the grain industry toured Big River Resources Galva plant over America's Independence holiday weekend which included a farm family 4th of July picnic.
The picnic of family and friends was held at the daughter and son-in-law of Big River CEO Raymond Defenbaugh in Kirkwood at the home of Mark and Jennifer Kinneer which included BBQ pork and fried fish and an array of potluck goodies.
At dusk, Kirkwood displayed their annual 4th of July fireworks in a field at the backdoor of the Kinneer home.
The Chinese guests said they were very pleased to be invited to the picnic and their Independence Day celebration.
According to guest Ms. Liwen Wang, Division Chief-China Feed Industry Association, in an email this week to the Quill, they returned from their U.S. trip on July 11th and, "We were very impressed by your country life."
The purpose of the Chinese touring here was stated in a mission statement put out by the U.S. Grains Council and that is: "to provide firsthand information of U.S. DGS industry, the production, marketing regulations and benefits to the feed and livestock industry in US.
"The team members include officials from MOA and China Feed Industry Association (CFIA), professors of its technical working committee, who will be responsible for U.S. DDGS registrations in MOA, China, plus top persons from two larger feed groups.
"The mission will visit U.S. government officials, ethanol plants, DDGS suppliers DDGS end users and attend a short course in IGP, Kansas State University.
"The United States Grain Council has conducted the U.S. DDGS programs in China since 2006. China became the largest U.S. DDGS market in the world with over 3mmt imported in 2010.
"However, the registration requested by MOA, as well as the current and anti-dumping investigation on U.S. DDGS by MOA, will have a significant impact on the U.S. DDGS market in China.
"CFIA is the reviewer responsible for assisting MOA in the registrations process together with its technical working committee in China.
"The mission will provide an opportunity for the dialogue between U.S. DDGS industry and Chinese regulators and end users.
"Such dialogue and information exchange will be the key for continued U.S. DDGS export to China in the future," according to information put out by the USGC.
Big River Resourcers has been named as the largest DDGS suppliers to the Chinese and was selected for the investigation. Two smaller U.S. supplier s had been included but one has since been dropped and the other has chosen not to fight it. Several U.S. ethanol/DDGS plants have contributed to the $1.3 million fight by Big River against the anti-dumping lawsuit by the Chinese. By standing up for U.S. DDGS in China's market place, all who market DDGS from the U.S. to China will benefit in the future by Big River Resources efforts.
According to Big River Resources CEO Raymond E. Defenbaugh of Biggsville, the ongoing negotiations have been tedious but necessary in protecting their DDGS markets in China.
Big River Resources, known for their consistent high quality of DDGS, markets 30% of their DDGS to China from their three plants in West Burlington and Dyersville, Iowa, as well as in Galva, IL. They produce 546,000 tons of DDGS annually with around half going into the foreign markets and half of that is exported to China by containers either by rail or barge and then by ocean-liner.
Big River Resources LLC's three plants rank 9th out of 219 existing ethanol plants in producing ethanol in the U.S. according to Ethanol Magazine, with a capacity of 302 million gallons annually.
The plant is locally controlled by farmers and investors who came together and formed a cooperative in 2004.
Enjoying an Independence Day picnic at Mark and Jennifer Kinneer's home in Kirkwood with the Ray Defenbaugh family, CEO of Big River Resources were a small group of Chinese agriculture specialists traveling with the US Grains Council.
Standing from left are: Mr. Fan BAI, Director-Sichuan Province Feed Station; Bingliang HUANG, Vice President Board of Directors-Shandong Liuke Group; Mr. Yusheng SHA, Deputy Secretary General-China Feed Industry Association, Mr. Raymond E. DEFENBAUGH, CEO Board of Directors Big River Resources, LLC, Mr Alvaro CORDERO, host-US Grains Council, and Mr. Yishan NIU, Associate Director-USGC Beijing.
From left front: Mr. Yuming GUO, Associate Dean of College of Animal Science and Technology-China Agricultural University, Mr. Kangsen MAI, Professor-Ocean University of China, Mr. Yingzhuo NIU, Assistant Director of USGC Beijing, MS. .Yanhong ZHANG, Ph.D, Assistant Director, Analytical Chemistry, National Corn to Ethanol Research Center, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL; and Ms. Liwen WANG, Division Chief-China Feed Industry Association.