US Grains Council rebrands as US Grains & BioProducts Council, appoints Mark Wilson as Chairman

USA – The US Grains Council has officially adopted a new name, the US Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC), following a unanimous decision during its annual board meeting held on August 1.

The change, leaders say, reflects the organization’s expanding mission in both grains and bio-based products, particularly ethanol, and positions it for broader global engagement.

“The Council stands on the precipice, and there is the opportunity for exponential growth with becoming the US Grains & BioProducts Council,” said Ryan LeGrand, president and CEO of the newly renamed organization.

“The US Grains & BioProducts Council encompasses both the organization’s grains side and ethanol side to create one global powerhouse organization,” he added.

Founded in 1960 as the US Feed Grains Council, the organization has historically focused on developing international markets for US coarse grains and their co-products.

It operates globally to promote the export and use of US-grown barley, corn, sorghum, ethanol, and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). With offices in nine countries and programs in over 50 markets, including the European Union, the Council supports global economic development by building strategic partnerships that enhance the profitability and sustainability of US agriculture.

The latest rebranding marks only the second name change in its 65-year history, the first being in 1998, when it became the US Grains Council.

According to LeGrand, the rebranding signals a strategic move to unlock opportunities in the global energy market.

“This organizational name change will open doors previously closed to us,  those in the energy space for which our ethanol team are diligently trying to gain access to so we can spur sales in ways that we haven’t been able to in the past,” he said.

The Council’s renewed identity also aims to maintain continuity with its heritage. “We have paid special attention to choosing the right name without abandoning the 65 years of brand equity our members and our past leaders have worked so hard to create,” LeGrand added.

USGBC appoints Mark Wilson as Chairman of BOD

During the same meeting, Mark Wilson, a longtime member of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, was elected chairman of the board of directors.

Wilson, who farms corn and soybeans in Toulon, Illinois, has been active in USGBC leadership for over a decade. His previous roles include corn sector director, Innovation & Sustainability A-Team lead, and Asia A-Team lead, among others.

“I am humbled for the opportunity you have given me to represent you around the world, and I want to thank you for the confidence that you have in me,” Wilson told delegates.  He also announced his chairman’s theme for the year: “The Time Is Now.”

 “I promise that I will do everything that I can to keep your crops and products moving because I know how important this is for you,” Wilson said.

Other leadership appointments included Jay Reiners of the Nebraska Corn Board as vice chairman, Jay Fischer of the Missouri Corn Growers Association as secretary-treasurer, and Dylan Rosier and Greg Alber as at-large directors.

Sector directors elected were Sean Broderick of CHS (agribusiness), Jolene Riessen of Iowa Corn Growers Association (corn), and Matthew Horlacher of the Washington Grain Commission and Cold Stream Malt & Grain (barley).

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