CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S. — Organizers of the Global Grain Conference, an event that has been held for more than a decade on an annual basis in Geneva, Switzerland and most recently was held in Singapore, have decided to add another location for the conference, this time in the U.S.

Chicago, Illinois will be the site of the first-ever Global Grain Conference in the U.S., June 19-21. The event will be held at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Chicago, which is located just a short walk from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and Chicago Board of Trade buildings.

“This will be a must-attend event for senior executives, traders and other industry professionals in the North American and international grain, oilseeds, soft commodities and energy markets,” said Charles Gould, conference program manager. “It is a crucial time for the U.S. and world grain market as volatile weather patterns and economic uncertainties have all impacted the global supply and demand of corn, soybeans and wheat.

“Global Grain Chicago will provide an opportunity to get a better understanding of industry dynamics and make the most of market opportunities,” Gould said. “Expert industry speakers will share their views and insights, and you will have the chance to network with key industry decision-makers from around the globe.”

The event kicks off Wednesday, June 19 at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception, and the conference program begins June 20 with a keynote speech from Bryan Durkin from CME Group. Other highlights from the June 20 session include: the global supply and demand outlook panel discussion; analysis of managed futures and their impact on global grain markets, as well as presentations from regional experts from key markets including Brazil, China and the Black Sea.

The final day of the conference will include a presentation on the oilseed outlook as well as an update on commodity market regulation from Bart Chilton from the CFTC. 

For the complete conference schedule and presentations, go to: www.globalgrainevents.com/Chicago.

Prior to the opening of the conference, the CME Group will conduct a Commodity Risk Management Course from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 19. The course is designed for those interested in agricultural price risk management, such as food processors, feed manufacturers, grain merchandisers and importers/exporters.

This event is free of charge for conference delegates but numbers are limited. For more information on the course and to register, send an e-mail to: info@ggrain.com.

To register for Global Grain Chicago, go to: www.globlgrainevents.com/Chicago. Cost is $1,695 per delegate. Discounted rates are available for companies sending more than two delegates to the conference. 

Upon registration, delegates will received an accommodation booking form by e-mail to be completed and returned direct to the hotel. Hotel booking can also be completed by calling the Marriott at 1.312.660.8200.