Members of the U.S. Forage Export Council voted on August 7, 2020, to not accept contracts where pricing is determined by destination testing, based on sampling and testing conducted overseas.
The U.S. Forage Export Council was established to ensure that international forage trade is science-based, fair and transparent. The supply chain from field to customer is built upon this foundation, with scientifically proven sampling and testing procedures serving as the basis for product pricing.
Matters of pricing and quality are commercial considerations between member and customer. However, USFEC affirms the importance of a science-driven methodology. Sampling and testing must be conducted in a manner that is science-based, fair and transparent, and mutually agreed between seller and buyer.
Many forms of destination testing do not meet these criteria. Small samples taken arbitrarily by customers are not sufficient to determine product quality, and members should not be obligated to accept subsequent results.
