USSEC recently participated in CME Group’s Grain and Oilseed Forum in Mexico.  USSEC Americas Regional Director Francisco de la Torre and consultant Gerardo Luna traveled to Mexico City from April 9-11 to attend Latin America’s premium agricultural program.  The forum focused on market perspectives and risk management and was designed to help attendees effectively navigate the Latin American grain and oilseed markets while building a strong risk management strategy.  The three day event included one full day of risk management training while the rest of the time was devoted to conferences given by expert speakers on grains and the soybean complex aimed to support attendees in facing markets conditions and price volatility, and leverage their risk management strategies.  Sessions on marketing alternatives included futures, options and risk management issues and concepts; cash markets and basis trading, as well as buy and sell side strategies with options, and the use of foreign exchange futures and options by agricultural customers.

The event was attended by approximately 230 people chiefly from Mexican commercial firms and growers, with the rest coming from Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.  Mexican Government Offices and Agencies were also represented.  USSEC sponsored participation in the event for 36 representatives from different balanced feed producers associations and companies who are users of U.S. soybean meal.  Mr. de la Torre participated in a discussion panel on Cash Grain in Latin America along with two industry representatives.