International Grains Council

The International Grains Council (IGC) is an international organization established on March 23, 1949 as the International Wheat Council (IWC) at the initiative of the U.S. government for the purpose of egalitarian distribution of wheat to countries in a state of emergency. It was part of the Point Four Program announced by US President Harry S. Truman on January 20, 1949 to improve the economic situation of poor countries. Among the members of the IWC are the Republic of Ireland (since 1951), Israel (since 1949), West Germany (since 1951) and Japan (since 1951). In 1995 it was renamed International Grains Council.