The International Grain Trade Coalition (IGTC) is an unincorporated coalition of 22 national and international non-profit trade associations and councils involving more than 8000 members whose purpose is to convene significant expertise and representation to provide advice to governments from a global perspective on the commercial requirements and economics of the world’s food, feed and processing industries, including but not limited to implementation of the Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety.

The IGTC recognizes its existence is based on the goal of avoiding disruptions in the international trade of grain, oilseeds, pulses and derived products. To do so the IGTC endeavors to provide for the establishment of policies to provide for a regulatory environment supportive of such international trade.

As an informal coalition of organizations supporting and stakeholders in the global trade in grains, oilseeds, pulses and their products, the IGTC often finds value in addressing the global regulatory environment. Working first to define globally effective solutions, utilizing the discretion and expertise of its members to educate officials in national governments and their constituents.

Ultimately the IGTC addresses its purpose in international venues. For example, in 2001 the International Grain Trade Coalition was formed with the objective to advise governments on the implementation of the Biosafety Protocol and worked to ensure that the objective of the BSP to protect global bio-diversity could be achieved while meeting the needs of the world’s food, feed and processing industries.

In September 2002 the IGTC mandate was broadened to include advice to governments of the commercial requirements and economics of the world’s food, feed and processing. In 2004 the IGTC began analysis of the science based standards setting organizations recognized by the WTO (Codex Alimentarious, the International Plant Protection Organization and the International Epizootics Organization).

In 2006, the scope of IGTC was recognized to include the need to avoid disruptions in the international trade of grain, oilseeds, rice, pulses and derived products.