What does IGC mean in Council?

International Grains Council

The International Grains Council (IGC) is an intergovernmental organization which oversees the Grains Trade Convention and seeks to promote cooperation in the global grain trade. It’s tasked with enhancing market stability and world food security through providing impartial analysis on supply and demand fundamentals in the grains and oilseed sectors and improving transparency through regular reporting on market and policy developments. The IGC's data, analysis and reporting are used by member governments, private organizations and other international bodies concerned with grain market developments. The IGC's benchmark Grains and Oilseeds Index, which tracks international grain and oilseed prices, is publicly available on the organization's website. The IGC Secretariat also administers the Food Assistance Convention , provides administrative services to the Food Assistance Committee and forms part of the secretariat of Agricultural Market Information System. The headquarters are in London, where the IGC hosts the annual Grains Conference which brings international buyers and sellers, industry representatives and policy makers together. The definition of “grains” was formally expanded to include rice (1 July 2009) and oilseeds (1 July 2013). The Food Aid Convention of 1995 added pulses to the list. This Convention was subsequently renegotiated and replaced by the Food Aid Convention of 1999, which considerably broadened the list of eligible products. The Food Aid Convention, 1999 expired on 30 June 2012 and a new Food Assistance Convention entered into force on 1 January 2013. The new Food Assistance Convention is a separate legal instrument, independent of the GTC. At the 35th IGC Council Session in June 2012 members approved a request that the IGC Secretariat continue to provide administrative services to the new Food Assistance Committee.

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