Minneapolis, Minn., USA – Thirty Asian buyers are registered to attend the second annual Midwest Specialty Grains Conference and Trade Show August 23-25, 2005, according to Bob Zelenka, executive director of the Midwest Shippers Association. The association will host the conference at the Ramada Inn Airport/Thunderbird Conference Center, Bloomington, Minn. The conference highlights the region's specialty grains including soybeans, flax, sunflowers, corn and pulse crops.

“This conference focuses on bringing buyers and sellers together. The Asian buyers are all potential users of the specialty grains grown in this region. Indications are very promising that we will exceed last year's attendance, where we had guests from 28 states and 8 countries,” says Zelenka.

“Our next objective is to demonstrate to our regional producers that we have international customers who are very interested in developing relationships and buying agricultural products from the U.S.,” says Carroll Duerr, general manager of the conference. “The key is finding people who can supply the product. We need farmers, processors and elevator managers at the conference as well,” he concludes.

Enhancing Relationships in the Global Marketplace is the theme for this year's conference, which is open to international and domestic buyers, regional producers, and anyone interested in specialty grains.  Early bird registration deadline is July 15.

A key representative of the Japanese Federation of Miso Manufacturers Cooperatives (JFMMC ) will address the conference on Tuesday. Four additional JFMMC directors will attend the conference. The JFMMC consists of 1,300 miso manufacturers grouped into 51 unions and 8 blocs. Masi Tateishi, marketing manager for food soybeans with American Soybean Association in Japan, will escort the team.

Miso is an all-purpose, high-protein seasoning used in soup and other dishes. It is made by combining soybeans, cultured grain, and sea salt through a unique fermentation process.

“The U.S. share in the Japanese miso market is less than 12%, while the tofu and natto shares remain at 60% and 75%. The miso segment holds the second biggest share in the total soy food market in Japan,” according to Tateishi. However, the U.S. share in the market is quite small compared to China and Canada. “O ur team leaders will present the Japanese miso market situation and their expectations at the conference. Through this, we hope to gain further mutual understanding,” Tateishi concludes.

Trade show organizers anticipate 50 exhibitors, representing specialty grain buyers, sellers, and product or service providers. “We have more processors and cleaning facilities exhibiting at the trade show this year. This is important because our international guests want to be introduced to people who can supply them with product. There is also a big push from the international side for third-party verification/certification services,” says Duerr. Companies still interested in securing exhibit space can contact the Midwest Shippers Association at 612-252-1453.

Preliminary breakout sessions include Midwest quality advantage; global outlook for specialty grains; economics of growing and handling specialty grains; connecting buyers and sellers; protection/contracts; transportation and logistics; traceability and food safety; and buyer/seller issues in soybeans, flax, sunflowers, corn, and pulse crops.

The conference will conclude with an optional Twin Cities-area tour of specialty processing facilities, including SunRich at Hope, Minn., an international company that grows, processes and markets specialty grains, and a new bio-diesel plant at Albert Lea, Minn., that is developing food-grade lecithin. The tour may also include a food-grade specialty grain plot.

International guests can receive complimentary Japanese and Chinese language interpretation services during the conference and tour. Interpretation of additional languages may become available upon request.

Registration information is available at http://www.grainconference.com/ or by email: info@mnshippers.org

Midwest Shippers Association is a regional cooperative association that promotes marketing of specialty grains from the upper Midwest.

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