SPRINGFIELD, IL - Beginning Tuesday, August 29 the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will host 31 international buyers from seven different Latin American countries to enhance existing relationships and increase export sales for the Illinois grain industry.

"The Illinois Grain Tour gives Illinois farmers, producers, and retailers the opportunity to showcase their world-class commodities and facilities to foreign investors," said IDOA Director Jerry Costello. "We lead the nation in soybean production and nearly half of the soybeans and corn produced in Illinois are exported, resulting in billions of dollars in direct sales annually."

In 2022, the Grain Tour returned to in-person for the first time since the pandemic and brought in $65 million in projected sales.

Participants begin the tour by meeting with representatives from the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The tour will also make stops at:

• Farm Progress Show, Decatur

• Illinois Soybean Association, Bloomington

• Seedburo Equipment Co., Des Plaines

All participants of the Illinois Grain Tour are required to pay their own airfare and a participation fee prior to joining the tour.

There will be a planned media stop at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur with Director Costello. Information regarding that stop will be shared in the following days.