By DOUG SCHMITZ
Iowa Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With its presence already firmly established on Facebook and Twitter, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently introduced another pivotal element of cyberspace into its overall marketing and public relations plan, to give American farmers more of a voice on national and global grain issues: The blogosphere.

Referred to as “The Grain Board,” the USGC’s new blog is the council’s latest approach in stepping up its efforts to not only keep farmers informed but engaged in the conversation regarding agricultural trade and the American farmer, said Mike Deering, USGC director of communications.

“The Grain Board affords you the opportunity to let your voice be heard,” he wrote in an introductory blog on the website. “You can rest assured we’ll be listening. This blog is intended to serve as a sounding board for U.S. agricultural trade and U.S. farmers.
“Council market development programs; trade missions; market dynamics; feed grains exports; trade barriers; and Council events,” he added. “We’ll be discussing these issues and much more.”
Launched on May 19, the blog was created using no financial resources from the USGC, Deering said.

“It’s amazing how much you can do online with no expense,” he said. “Some may opt to spend money for a blog and that’s fine, but we try very hard to do more with less. Other than a little staff time, we didn’t spend a dime.”

The USGC’s main goal in providing the blog is to “add an entree to the menu,” Deering said. “To give our members, U.S. farmers and the general public another way to get information and to afford them an opportunity to offer some insight, ask questions and so forth,” he said.

Asked about some of the most pressing issues likely to be discussed or get the most traffic on the blog, Deering said he and other USGC officials didn’t know what to expect – especially since the blog just started.

“I know that collegiate FFA students are currently blogging while they are in Vietnam and China looking at U.S. Grains Council programs,” he said.

That’s also why Deering said the USGC hopes to provide “a little entertainment now and then. Thus, it’s only fitting (that) our inaugural posts over the next two weeks will be from college students.”

Sponsored by The Grains Foundation and the National FFA Organization, the 12 top agricultural students selected for the International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership (I-CAL) program are accompanied by Kim Karst, USGC manager of international operations for Asia.

“These 12 students will get an up-close and personal look at the importance of agricultural trade and market development programs orchestrated by the U.S. Grains Council,” Deering said. He hopes readers will “check back often to read what the students have to say about their experience.

“They will also post pictures to the Council’s Flickr page,” he said. “You can also keep updated on their travels by visiting the USGC on Facebook or get instant updates on Twitter” at http://twitter.com/usgc

USGC’s Flickr page can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/usgc and its Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/pages/US-Grains-Council/60248643587

Ultimately, Deering said the USGC is utilizing all these “to get the word out. Social networking or new media is not coming; it is already here. Just like we have a lot of choices at the grocery store, we also have a lot of options when it comes to receiving and distributing information.

“(The Grain Board) allows folks to interact with us, offer their views and learn more about USGC market development efforts. This new media allows for a conversation to take place – and that’s a good thing.”