With vigorous feed grain and ethanol marketing programs planned in the coming year from the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) Middle East and Africa regional office, the council has recently initiated a plan to bolster its staff presence there thanks to funding provided by the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan.

Reece Cannady, USGC manager of global trade, is embarking on a one-year assignment to the office in Tunis.

“I am fortunate to join a very experienced and solid team managed by Ramy Taieb, the council’s regional director,” Cannady said, speaking of the office that covers the European Union; the Mediterranean region (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Libya); the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Egypt); and Sub-Saharan Africa. “I’ll be there to support him and the regional team in expanding programming, particularly in countries that have developed livestock sectors that can react quickly and buy U.S.-origin feed grains and co-products.”

Cannady’s work will focus on Egypt, Spain, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The MEA region – which includes more than 80 countries and once was brimming with four busy council offices – is a strong buyer with significant potential demand for U.S. corn and U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

“We have a strong team with innovative programming in the region and, thanks to a grant by the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, the council is able to increase our investment in the region during this critical time,” said Kurt Shultz, USGC’s senior director of global strategies. “We are fortunate to be able to deploy Reece to the region to add much-needed capacity.”