By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent

AUBURN, Ill. — The University of Illinois farm operated by Tim Seifert from Auburn, Ill., was the second stop on the Illinois Grain Industry Tour. The four-day tour kicked off on Monday, Oct. 11 and ended on Thursday, Oct. 14.

The Melvin Price Lock and Dam was the first stop on Monday for this group of agricultural professional representatives from Latin America.

Rafael Santibanez Villagomez and Richard Scott Berson from Mexico’s Vobu SPR de R.L. grain operation recently shared a few thoughts about the stop.

“In Mexico, the Mississippi is equal to Mark Twain,” Villagomez shared. “They never showed the importance of the Mississippi; all I knew was Tom Sawyer.”

Berson who was a transplanted American added that coming from mostly on the Eastern Seaboard prior to living in Mexico, that, “The Mississippi is almost a mystical place.”

They were amazed by the amount of grain that is transported by water in the United States. The Seifert farm offered an opportunity for the International visitors to see how grain is grown and harvested. Eleven representatives from Lima, Peru; El Salvador, Honduras; and Mexico came to have lunch and view Seifert’s 2,300 acre grain operation.

Although interested in the corn and farming operation, it was clear that the highlight of the tour was a ride in a combine. Amparo Garza Lang, the agribusiness director for the Latin America and the Caribbean office in Mexico introduced the group and served as the translator.

Seifert is able to offer many perspectives to the group. Besides his farming hat, he also serves as the district 10 director of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, and as member of the industrial committee.
“This is the sixth or seventh year I have provided international tours,” Seifert said. “It is a great chance to get to know people from all over the world. The Illinois Department of Agriculture puts this together. It is a way to put the people in the field so they can see what they are buying. The tour is all about building relationships.”

In a press release, Illinois Agriculture Director Tom Jennings said, “Activities like the grain tour are a sound investment in the Illinois economy. They not only increase demand for our agricultural products in global markets, but also protect and create jobs in an industry that employs nearly one-fourth of our state’s workers. Illinois agriculture owes much of its success to foreign trade and the loyal customers it has throughout the world. Nearly half of our crops are exported, and the demand from our trading partners helps us to sustain a level of production that is among the highest in the United States.”

Illinois Department of Agriculture Representative Jim Mackey who works in the international marketing division also shared how important the tours are at providing a glimpse into the everyday activities of the grain industry in Illinois.

“A big part of what is fascinating to them, are the things we take for granted like the weights and measures and crop inspection and grading,” he explained.

Mackey said that the ultimate hope from the tour is that the group will walk away with a favorable impression of Illinois, and think about purchasing grain in the future. Illinois is the nation’s second largest producer of corn and soybeans.

Representatives in this tour group include those that are in a position to purchase grain and increase Illinois exports. The visitors came from a variety of backgrounds, some buy grain for poultry and livestock, while others are building grain storage and transport operators; and some acted as consultants to grain growers and buyers.

Santibanez Villagomez and Richard Scott Berson were part of the Vobu SPR de R.L., which is in the process of building grain storage and shuttles in Mexico.

“I want to learn about hedging on the Chicago Market and prices,” stated Villagomez.

They visited the Chicago Board of Trade on Thursday after touring GSI, the world’s largest manufacturer of steel farm bins, commercial storage grain bins and grain silos in Assumption, Ill., and the Springfield Grain Inspection on Wednesday.  Thursday, the tour winded up with the Chicago Board of Trade visit.

Richard Benson added that they hoped to learn about consolidating independent growers outside of Mexico. For more information about the tour, contact Jeff Squibb at 217-558-1546.