First-of-its-kind specialty ag conference set for Hawaii

First-of-its-kind specialty ag conference set for Hawaii

SSGA to host Identity Preserved International Summit Jan. 11-13 in Honolulu

Identity preserved soybeans and grains cross the Pacific Ocean throughout the year, as the finest ingredients from the United States are delivered to food manufacturers throughout Asia. That is why there is no better location to hold a conference about identity preserved and specialty field crops from the United States than in Hawaii – literally the “Crossroads of the Pacific.”

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance presents the inaugural Identity Preserved International Summit to be held Jan. 11-13, 2023, at the Hilton Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii.

This is an opportunity for food manufacturers and their buyers from around the world to gather with processors, exporters and farmers of identity preserved and other grains and oilseeds from the United States for three days of education, conversation, networking, business opportunities and more.

Strategically scheduled for the peak of the shipping season, as well as the beginning of the buying season for the 2023 specialty crop, the Identity Preserved International Summit is an opportunity for in-depth discussions about trends in the identity preserved and specialty markets and the needs of the international customer and the availability of high-quality U.S. IP products.

“These are the best companies in the world who do this – on both sides of the ocean,” said Eric Wenberg, SSGA executive director. “We are giving them a chance to have real dialogue about one of the fastest-growing sectors of agriculture – the IP and specialty space.”

Besides being centrally located as a convenient meeting spot for guests from the U.S., Japan, Korea, Taiwan and countries throughout Southeast Asia, Hawaii has other great amenities (And we’re not just talking about the weather!): Hawaii’s top agricultural commodities are seed crops, including corn and soybean seeds. Holding the Summit in the 50th U.S. state will give guests opportunities to see firsthand the development of new varieties.

The Summit will also include a workshop on the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan, which was launched by SSGA in December 2021, and panels on ocean shipping, ag manufacturing equipment and trade.

SSGA is working with Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture, as well as with the support of Qualified State Soybean Boards from Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Michigan.

The U.S. Identity Preserved quality assurance plan and its accompanying designation offers assurance to customers looking for grains with specific traits or qualities such as variety, protein and sugar levels, color, bean size or flavor. Customers can be assured the grains are traceable from their fields of origin throughout the process of production, processing, packaging and distribution, which provides the knowledge and assurance customers need.

“We think our Summit will bring new experiences and opportunities to all participants, and we’re happy to offer a special rate to Hawaii residents,” Wenberg said. “We look forward to uniting the identity preserved industry and saying ‘aloha’ to our guests in January.”

Registration for the event is now open at https://soyagrainsalliance.org/international-ip-summit/.