The Council’s Corn Export Cargo Quality Report is an objective survey, taken at the point of loading for international shipment, of the quality of U.S. yellow commodity corn destined for export. “This is the second of two new Council reports concerning the quality of the 2011 crop,” said Dr. Wendell Shauman, USGC chairman and farmer from Illinois. “Earlier this year the Council’s Corn Harvest Quality Report surveyed corn quality at the farm gate. Together, these two reports are intended to provide reliable information on U.S. corn quality for the current marketing year, based on a transparent and consistent methodology.”  In addition to providing an early look at grades and standards factors and moisture (that are reported each year by the US Federal Grain Inspection Service), these reports provide information on additional quality characteristics that have not been reported previously. “Quality is a vital concern for every stakeholder in the corn value chain: seed companies, corn growers, traders, corn handlers, shippers, processors and end-users. The Council anticipates that the value of these reports to all stakeholders will increase over time as stakeholders become familiar with the information presented and with the year-to-year variations to be anticipated in the U.S. corn marketing system,” he said.