USIP Alliance awards annual Alliance Honors

The U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance (USIP Alliance) presented its sixth annual Alliance Honors during its annual meeting on April 7. Each year, the USIP Alliance Executive Committee recognizes individuals who have made significant and sustaining contributions to the identity preserved agriculture industry. The Alliance Honors celebrate stewardship, advancements in transportation, IP and USIP Alliance as an organization.  

Alliance Honor for Stewardship
Janna Fritz was awarded the Alliance Honor for Stewardship. She has been a strong supporter of the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance in several capacities, most recently over the last year when she served as the Chair of the U.S. Soybean Export Council. Under Ms. Fritz’s leadership, the two organizations grew closer together in a spirit of communication and collaboration, leaning into each other when necessary to improve and enhance projects, programs and the overall promotion of US Soy, specifically, identity preserved and specialty soybeans around the globe. Ms. Fritz is also an active member of the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance herself, including on the agronomy action team, in her role as President of DF Seeds, as a farmer and, previously, as CEO of the Michigan Soybean Committee. 

Alliance Honor for Advancing Transportation
The Alliance Honor for Advancing Transportation was awarded to Tina Lyons, founder of Double River Forwarding LLC. Since establishing the Portland, Ore.-based company in 2008, she has built a reputation as a tireless advocate for her clients and the agricultural export community.  As Chair of the USIPA Alliance’s Competitive Shipping Action Team, she created a forum for open sharing of the transportation challenges faced across the identity preserved supply chain, helping our members better understand common issues and potential solutions. She also represented the USIP Alliance in an unprecedented meeting in Washington, D.C., with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack—which brought together container lines, railroads, agricultural shipper groups, exporters and USDA to discuss competitive inland freight and explore realistic public-private solutions. Well-known within agencies such as the Federal Maritime Commission and across the transportation industry, Tina has leveraged her extensive network to help the Alliance develop informed positions on transportation issues grounded in real world experience. Although she has since passed the action team chair role to someone else, Tina continues to be a steadfast resource, advisor and supporter of the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance. 

Alliance Honor for Advancing IP
The Alliance Honor for Advancing IP was presented to Shinsuke Yamada, President of Yamada Foods, a Japan-based food manufacturing company specializing in traditional fermented soybean products, including natto. Mr. Yamada’s expertise in food safety, traceability and the use of identity preserved ingredients in retail products has helped advance the identity preserved agriculture industry. His commitment to these principles has earned respect from industry members from across the globe. Mr. Yamada accepted the award during the U.S. Identity Preserved International Summit, where he shared insights on fermented foods and the development of frozen and freeze-dried natto for global markets. 

Alliance Honor for Advancing USIP Alliance
The Alliance Honor for Advancing USIP Alliance was awarded to Chuck Kunisch. Chuck Kunisch has spent nearly three decades with Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Michigan’s largest grain handler, and has been involved in agriculture his entire career.  Throughout his professional career, he’s served on numerous boards and committees including the last three years on the US IP Alliance board of directors. He is known for his willingness to share ideas, serve on committees and represent the USIP Alliance at events. Kunisch was also reelected to the Alliance board of directors at the annual meeting. 

The USIP Alliance congratulates all Alliance Honors recipients and thanks them for their leadership, dedication, and ongoing contributions to the Alliance and to the identity preserved agriculture industry.