ICC group will enhance SSGA’s international network

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SSGA is pleased to announce the addition of a global management team that will be working on the alliance’s behalf in implementing overseas programs, including promotion of the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand, trade services for U.S. exports of high-quality, specialty grains and oilseeds, and other in-country assistance such as training and education and coordination with government officials, including USDA posts.

International Collaborative Consulting (ICC) presented an impressive proposal that covered both the Southeast Asia and North Asia regions, which will enhance SSGA’s overall international team.

Owned and operated by Amy Burdett and Susan Weller, ICC has great experience, background and expertise, as well as an excellent network of contacts, resources and sub-contractors they work with, which will help SSGA build an effective overseas program on behalf of its members. ICC is familiar with SSGA and its mission and strategy and is also very familiar with other USDA FAS-funded programs, which will help SSGA in contracting and compliance.

“The depth and breadth of ICC’s experience will greatly enhance the U.S. Identity Preserved brand and overall perception of high-quality, traceable field crops supplied by our member companies,” said Shane Frederick, SSGA’s manager of strategic programs. “After the groundwork for this program was laid through previous brand creation and technical assistance, ICC is undoubtedly the right team to take things up a notch.”

Burdett and Weller have nearly 50 years of combined experience in U.S. food marketing and international agriculture trade that spans trade organizations, the private sector and federal government. ICC works with several organizations to leverage USDA grant funding to entice global buyer purchases and resolve trade barriers. They connect with producers to explain the benefits and avoid the pitfalls of international exports.

Their international network includes colleagues with expertise in U.S. cooperator programming and activity implementation. The ICC team is at the ready to help with in-market work such as SSGA representation, trade servicing, event coordination, government communications and country program reporting, along with recruiting foreign attendees for the Identity Preserved International Summit that will take place Feb. 18-20 in Honolulu, Hawaii. ICC’s international colleagues have already begun training and getting familiar with SSGA and the U.S. Identity Preserved program. It includes:

  • Japan: Ms. Izumi Amano and Mr. Keiichi (Ken) Tanaka
  • Korea: Ms. Jennie Lee
  • Thailand/Southeast Asia: Mr. Kraipob Pangsapa

Ms. Izumi Amano

Mr. Keiichi Tanaka

Ms. Jennie Lee

Mr. Kraipob Pangsapa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ICC’s previous experience with SSGA includes completing a program evaluation on its U.S. Identity Preserved work in Asia in 2022 and leading the board of directors in a session to assess the alliance’s overall strategy, mission and vision in 2023.

The ICC team is here for SSGA members. Please reach out if you are traveling to meet customers and potential customers or for events in Asia for assistance. They are here to better connect you to the region! You can connect with them at aburdett@soyagrainsalliance.org or sweller@soyagrainsalliance.org. In addition, SSGA has regional emails for inquiries: North Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan) northasia@soyagrainsalliance.org and Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines) seasia@soyagrainsalliance.org

SSGA celebrates first US identity preserved sale to South Asia

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After three years promoting U.S. identity preserved soy in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance’s (SSGA) efforts have met the ultimate success. In late 2023, Nepal’s Shree Radhe Rani International Trading purchased one container of identity preserved product from one of SSGA’s newest members. This was the first ever commercial sale of U.S. identity preserved soy to South Asia.

To celebrate the purchase, SSGA Senior Advisor for South Asia, Philip Shull, traveled to the Nepali dry port of Birgunj with company director, Mr. Gaurav Agrawal, to receive the shipment. While in Kathmandu, Shull also spoke on “The Power and Promise of U.S. Identity Preserved Soybeans” at a U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) seminar.

Mr. Agrawal credited SSGA’s outreach as a major reason for his decision to introduce U.S. identity preserved soy in Nepal.

“Nepalis love to try new products, and our family company, founded and led by my father, Mr. Arun Agrawal, has been the first to do many things in the market,” said Agrawal.

He stressed that attending SSGA’s Identity Preserved International Summit in Hawaii in Jan. 2023 and SSGA’s guidance in the purchasing process were key reasons for his decision to buy.

Within three days of the product’s arrival, Mr. Agrawal had delivered samples to more than six retailers who had packaged whole beans for retail sale, as well as processed the soybeans into products such as soy milk, tofu, soy flour and soy nuts.

Using his own equipment, Mr. Agrawal also split and dehulled bags of product. All of these items were on display at the USSEC seminar at the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel, which was attended by many of Nepal’s leading soy food processors and retailers.

“I am very pleased with the appearance and performance of these beans,” said Mr. Agrawal. “The tofu yield was better than expected, and the soft consistency of the tofu was very nice.”

Mr. Agrawal said that the feedback from his customers has been excellent. Assuming consumers are willing to pay the premium price, he plans to purchase at least one more container in the near future.

“But next time, I will require that the shipment carry SSGA’s U.S. Identity Preserved logo,” he said.

To capitalize on the momentum of this sale, SSGA plans to host a technical and trade seminar later this year.

 

SSGA awards fourth annual Alliance Honors

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At Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance’s (SSGA) annual meeting on March 12, the fourth annual SSGA Alliance Honors were awarded. The Alliance Honors give the SSGA Executive Committee the opportunity to recognize those who have made significant and sustaining contributions to the U.S. Identity Preserved (IP) industry in 2023. These awards recognize stewardship, as well as advancements in transportation, IP and SSGA as an organization.

Stewardship: Illinois Soybean Association
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) was a great resource to SSGA and its fellow members in 2023, contributing its financial, physical and human resources to SSGA programs and meetings. ISA, which increased its funding for SSGA’s identity preserved, transportation and other activities, sponsored and hosted a special “Fork to Farm” event in June that connected its farmers and Illinois-area and other SSGA members to importers from Cambodia and Myanmar visiting the U.S. through the ASA/WISHH program. ISA expended many staff and office resources for that event, as well as for an SSGA board meeting and strategy workshop it hosted in Bloomington in December.


Advancing IP: Indiana Crop Improvement Association
Indiana Crop Improvement Association (ICIA) has worked to implement the U.S. Identity Preserved protocol, qualifying companies in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and others. ICIA has patiently conducted audits, offered strong advice and guidance and shown leadership in the IP industry by presenting at SSGA events, including the first Identity Preserved International Summit in Hawaii. ICIA’s diligence and care have improved the U.S. IP system for all companies certified in the assurance plan and for future applicants.

Advancing SSGA: Karl Kolb, The High Sierra Group/Ceres University
Dr. Karl Kolb, president and chief technical officer of the High Sierra Group/Ceres University, volunteered with SSGA to help a small U.S. tofu manufacturer overcome a difficult audit and inspection of its processing facility. Kolb provided factual information on food safety that refuted incorrect audit findings and helped that company improve its processing plan, end the threat and keep a 40-year-old business going strong. The business owners credit Dr. Kolb and SSGA for saving their business.

Advancing Transportation: Pamela Ryan, Stonebridge
Pamela Ryan led the Competitive Shipping Action Team during a renewed shipping crisis. She ably led the volunteer group, working closely with SSGA staff and insisting on deadlines met and outcomes achieved. During her tenure, Ryan’s meetings, letters and representations helped convince USDA to first delay and then change implementation of proposed Export Sales reporting procedures that would have been an undue burden on container shippers from the central U.S. Also, Ryan was a strong part of the effort to bring FMC allowing the use of personal chassis with ocean carriers.

SSGA also recognized its Agronomy Action Team and its monthly IP/Specialty Crop Update reporters for providing strong information to SSGA members, their customers and others throughout the year. Those reporters include:

  • Scott Eversgerd, field agronomist, Southern Illinois, Pioneer Hi-Bred International
  • Mark Seamon, research director, Michigan Soybean Committee
  • David Kee, director of research, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council
  • Bryan Stobaugh, director of licensing and commercialization, and Eric Oseland, director of agronomy and research, Missouri Soybeans
  • Miki Miheguli, research programs coordinator, North Dakota Soybean Council
  • Shawn Conley, state extension soybean and small grain specialist, University of Wisconsin

SSGA’s next annual meeting will be held March 11, 2025 in Minneapolis.

 

SSGA celebrates 5 years, holds board elections

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Since its inception 5 years ago, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) has led the way.

In 2019, the Midwest Shippers Association and Northern Food Grade Soybean Association (NFGSA) merged to form SSGA. Originally coined as the premier business alliance of U.S. companies focused on production, processing and shipping of specialty soya and grains worldwide, SSGA celebrated its accomplishments at its five-year anniversary celebration and annual meeting on March 12.

The meeting kicked off with agronomy presentations from Dr. Bryan Young, Purdue University; Dr. Andrew Scaboo, University of Missouri and Dr. Emily Bick from University of Wisconsin-Madison, who discussed innovations in pest management. Ohio farmer Chad Warner discussed his farm and the challenges and benefits of growing identity preserved in the producer interview.

Bob Sinner, SSGA chair, was joined by past chairs Curt Petrich and Rob Prather for a panel discussing the history of SSGA.

Led by Executive Director Eric Wenberg, the panel recounted the early days of the organization, when staff and board members tested out elevator pitches for what SSGA meant. Or when the newly hired Wenberg pointed out all of the reasons a program to assist with phytosanitary inspections would not work.

2024 SSGA Officers: Bryan Severs, secretary/treasurer; Bob Sinner, chair; Bryan Stobaugh, vice chair

That “impossible” phytosanitary program, now named the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) High Quality Specialty Grains (HQSG) program, launched in April 2023, generating nearly 1,700 phytosanitary certificates for U.S. companies exporting high-quality soybeans in containers. Eighteen companies are accepted to use the program, with several more in the certification process. SSGA administratively supports the HQSG program.

“This is the one organization that I have seen a direct ROI on an activity from,” Petrich said. “It’s created a much more efficient [processing] plant and has decreased costs by almost 70%.”

The trio of chairs also recounted other accomplishments of SSGA, such as the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance protocol and brandmark, SSGA University and SSGA advocacy around container shipping issues.

“SSGA has led the way,” Petrich added. “Without this organization a number of things couldn’t get done in this sector.”

SSGA also awarded its annual Alliance Honors. The Alliance Honors recognizes those who have made significant and sustaining contributions to the U.S. IP industry in 2023. These awards recognize stewardship, as well as advancements in transportation, IP and SSGA as an organization.

The Alliance Honor for Stewardship was awarded to the Illinois Soybean Association for their financial, physical and human resources to SSGA programs and meetings. The Indiana Crop Improvement Association was awarded the Alliance Honor for Advancing IP for its work to implement the U.S. Identity Preserved protocol, qualifying companies in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and others. Dr. Karl Kolb, president and chief technical officer of the High Sierra Group/Ceres University was awarded the Advancing SSGA honor for his volunteer work with SSGA to help a small U.S. tofu manufacturer overcome a difficult audit and inspection of its processing facility. The Alliance Honor for Advancing Transportation was awarded to Pamela Ryan of Stonebridge, Ltd., for leading the Competitive Shipping action team during a renewed shipping crisis.

Elections were held to fill two open seats on the SSGA board. Gail Donkers of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council was reelected to the board and Bryan Severs of the Illinois Soybean Association joined the board.

Severs was later elected by his peers to serve as the SSGA secretary/treasurer. Bryan Stobaugh of the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council was tabbed as vice chair and Bob Sinner of SB&B Foods was re-elected to serve as the chair.

“Being able to work with the quality of people we have in the membership and on the board has been an honor,” said Sinner. “I am honored and humbled to serve as the SSGA chair for another year and look forward to what we can accomplish in 2024.”

SSGA promotes US Identity Preserved crops at FOODEX Japan

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After the FOODEX Japan event, it’s safe to say that Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) director’s and staff’s dogs were barking. 

March 5-8, SSGA exhibited at FOODEX Japan, which is the largest annual food and beverage trade show in Asia, offering exhibitors access to Japan’s $788 billion food market. A unique feature of the show, FOODEX brings together food and beverage companies from more than 60 countries and regions, placing exhibiting companies in pavilions specific to their home country – giving attendees the opportunity to walk all the way from Thailand to Korea to Brazil. Hence, SSGA’s tired feet.    

“The amount of traffic and interested people coming across the expo floor has been impressive,” said Bryan Stobaugh, director of licensing and commercialization at Missouri Soybeans and an SSGA board member. “Some of them stopped by the booth because they didn’t exactly understand what we do, and others stopped by to talk because they knew what we do.” 

Japan is the fourth-largest global market for U.S. exports of consumer-oriented food products, making it an ideal audience for SSGA’s vision to promote and enhance value throughout the supply chain, from farmer to food business. This year, FOODEX attracted over 76,000 visitors across the four-day convention and trade show.  

“Japan is a great example of why specialty soy and grains works from the United States,” Stobaugh said. “They are a country that demands high quality, effective and nutrient driven products to go into their bodies. So, our soy and specific grains really fit their bill because they can go down so many avenues with the importation of specialty soy.”  

In conjunction with FOODEX, SSGA hosted a U.S. Identity Preserved International Summit Workshop on Thursday, March 7, which was sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion, North Dakota Soybean Council, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board. 

“Hosting the U.S. Identity Preserved International Summit Workshop was an opportunity for us to connect on a deeper level with Japanese purchasers and brokers who are interested in premium U.S. field crops,” said Shane Frederick, SSGA’s manager of strategic programs. “The more we tell the U.S. Identity Preserved story – explaining the protocols and labeling behind the logo – the more traction we gain and can continue growing the brand.”

Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance Identity Preserved

The workshop featured a robust agenda, including remarks from Craig Elliott with USDA Foreign Agriculture Service and Kelly Kim from Food Export Midwest/Northeast, presentations from Frederick and Stobaugh, along with video recordings from SSGA Board Chair Bob Sinner and SSGA Board Member Rob Prather. U.S. farmers also provided a crop outlook via video recordings.

“There were a lot of things that I learned for the first time at the workshop,” said one workshop attendee. “One of our clients is interested in using non-GMO soybeans in the future, so we are collecting information about that, and this workshop was a great opportunity for that.” 

Because the target audience for the workshop was broad, presentations included information about suppliers of identity preserved, variety-specific field crops; an explanation of the U.S. Identity Preserved system and assurance plan and how it assures quality and traceability; opportunities to include the Identity Preserved United States label on retail product packaging and how to communicate the mark’s message to customers; and crop updates and outlooks from U.S. farmers. 

“The audience in that room is so dynamic,” Stobaugh said. “We are able to go into these workshops at a level where we can talk and it’s communicable and workable, not just data, data, data. Sometimes, we just need to talk.” 

By the end of the week, the SSGA delegation had not only connected with Japanese companies, but companies from across the world. And they even taught a native Japanese speaker a little bit of English slang – “My dogs are barking.”  

“Overall, we saw really good numbers while at FOODEX,” Stobaugh said. “With the help of our contractors, we had really good oversight in how we manage taking the potential leads that visited the booth and putting them in a database so that we have a form of record moving forward. It was a great experience.” 

SSGA sees potential in Southeast Asia

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Southeast Asia is a growing market with great potential for high-value crops from the United States, including those processed and exported by Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance members. Because of that strong interest in the region, SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick recently traveled there, participating in the USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission to Malaysia and Singapore following meetings with importers and food manufacturers in Vietnam.

Frederick promoted the U.S Identity Preserved assurance plan, brand mark and labeling program and represented SSGA member companies, talking about the high-quality, food-grade field crops they supply.

“While in Vietnam, I had the chance to visit six different companies and update them almost exactly one year after our international launch of U.S. Identity Preserved brand in Ho Chi Minh City,” Frederick said. “They continue to show interest in U.S. soy and grains and want to learn more, whether it’s through our SSGA University courses, activities such as the Identity Preserved International Summit or by receiving sample from SSGA members.”

Frederick emphasized that now is the time for customers to talk to suppliers about contracting for the 2024 crop.

Those same messages were delivered during the USDA trade mission, as Frederick moved from Ho Chi Minh City to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and then to Singapore. Frederick participated in the business-to-business sessions at the two locations, meeting with about 10 companies from the region.

Two SSGA members also participated in the meetings, WeFARM Organics (represented by SSGA board director and past chair Rob Prather) and Hang Tung Resources.

The SSGA delegation met with Van An Agricultural Products, a trading import-export company in Vietnam.
The SSGA delegation met with Van An Agricultural Products, a trading import-export company in Vietnam.
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Besides the business meetings, participants had the opportunity hear from USDA Under Secretary Alexis M. Taylor and Foreign Agriculture Service officials from the region, listen to importers and exporters operating there and go on tours, including to the Port of Singapore, one of the largest and busiest container ports in the world.

Taylor said that there is a major focus on Southeast Asia as a region to diversify U.S. agricultural exports. As a region, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines, is the world’s fourth-largest market. The U.S is Malaysia’s third-largest supplier of ag products to Singapore and seventh-largest to Malaysia, totaling $1.7 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively.

“One point heard several times during the event was: Everyone is rushing to Southeast Asia because they see the opportunity,” Frederick said. “Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia are some of the most important countries in the region for U.S. products. U.S. brands are well-regarded, and their young populations are receptive to new products and willing to try them. But it takes time, as each country is different and complicated.”

In all, leaders from three state agriculture departments and 29 agribusinesses and organizations accompanied Taylor on the trade mission, which took place Oct. 30-Nov. 3 with the goal of expanding export opportunities for U.S. food and farm products to the region.

SSGA members not currently in the U.S. Identity Preserved certification program should apply here and/or reach out to Frederick for more information.

HQSG program reaches 700 submissions, open for more participants

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In April 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) launched the High Quality Specialty Grains (HQSG) inspection program. The audit-based program, administratively supported by SSGA, has completed more than 700 inspection reports, used for phytosanitary certificate applications for containerized exports of high-quality soybeans to a dozen countries. This program saves grain facility users time and money when exporting their high quality, specialty grains for human consumption. The program helps rural, small businesses that export comply with USDA requirements for phytosanitary inspection.

SSGA negotiated the program with APHIS on behalf of U.S. exporters after successfully supporting APHIS in 2020 to delay the implementation of Japan’s requirement of a phytosanitary certificate for all U.S.-origin grains and oilseeds. With Japan’s requirement now in effect since August 2023, the HQSG program aids in the phytosanitary report process for U.S.-grown soybeans exported in containers for human consumption or processing for human consumption and may be used for any importing country requiring a phytosanitary certificate. USDA saw the extra burden coming for high quality exporters and found a way to provide a new opportunity.

Any U.S. grain facility that exports high quality soybeans for human consumption can be eligible to participate in the program. SSGA staff will guide accepted users throughout the compliance, quality assurance review, inspection and training requirements before helping them formally implement the program with APHIS. If your company is interested in using the program, please contact SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg at 507-613-0780 or ewenberg@soyagrainsalliance.org.

Board approves US Identity Preserved labeling standard

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Customers of U.S. Identity Preserved-certified suppliers will be able to begin using the Identity Preserved United States label on their retail packaging, following a decision by the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) Board of Directors on Sept. 14 in Fargo, N.D.

The board approved the following regulation for usage of the label for retail packaging:

An eligible product is one that contains greater than 75 percent of its total soybean/grain ingredients from U.S. Identity Preserved-certified suppliers.

The U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark program has been in place since December 2021. Since then, 14 companies have been certified by the program, which is managed by SSGA.

Those companies process, ship and export identity preserved soybeans, other oilseeds and grains, including as ingredients for packaged foods such as tofu, soymilk, natto and others.

“Like suppliers of identity preserved soybeans and grains, food manufacturers who purchase those crops seek to convey the quality of their products,” SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick said. “Whether it appears on a shipment of specialty soybeans from the United States or on a retail package in an overseas supermarket or convenience store, the Identity Preserved United States label conveys a high-quality, traceable and purposeful product.”

Already, SSGA has received interest from foreign customers of U.S. Identity Preserved-certified suppliers to use the Identity Preserved United States label on their retail packaging.

“Food companies globally continue to recognize the importance of sourcing higher value certified identity preserved products from the U.S. to improve the quality of their consumer offerings,” said Bob Sinner, SSGA chair and partner at SB&B Foods, a supplier of identity preserved crops. “SSGA is excited these same food manufacturers now want to demonstrate how satisfied and proud they are by displaying the U.S. Identity Preserved logo on their retail packaging.”

SSGA will put an application on the website usidentitypreserved.org where interested companies may apply to use the label. This confidential application will be reviewed by and only by SSGA staff. Once approved, the company will sign a licensing agreement with SSGA. Approved companies bear the responsibility to be in compliance with their respective country’s labeling laws, rules and regulations. SSGA will provide education and assistance to companies, consumer affairs and other regulatory agencies upon request or assist a company in its work to get any label approvals.

In addition, SSGA will work with approved companies to market their products with the label and/or help educate consumers and customers about the label and dialogue with participating companies to better understand their customer base and what the value of this label means to their consumers.

U.S. companies interested in joining the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan can apply at usidentitypreserved.org/assurance-plan-application/.

SSGA highlights economic benefits of U.S. Identity Preserved to trade group

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The Northern Crops Institute (NCI) welcomed a small trade group from Cambodia and Myanmar to Fargo, N.D., this week as part of a Food Grade Soybean Procurement Course. The course focused on the various aspects of sourcing and purchasing high-quality identity preserved (IP) soybeans for food products such as tofu, soymilk and tempeh.

“Through this course, our group had the opportunity to learn more about IP soybeans, meet with U.S. exporters and learn more about the quality of the U.S. identity preserved system from the seed to when it arrives at their facility,” said Alan Poock, Asia Division Director for the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH).

As incomes rise in many Asian countries, so does the emphasis on food safety and food quality. Identity preserved provides a way to know the history of the ingredients, including when it’s planted and harvested and where it was stored. This allows the soy consumer to be confident that their soy ingredients are consistently of high quality and handled in a safe way.

For those IP soy purchasers, typically from Asian countries, that confidence in a high-quality product is important, especially since they are paying more for IP than traditional soybeans. However, Shane Frederick, manager of strategic Programs with Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA), spoke to the WISHH group of how SSGA’s U.S. Identity Preserved mark and assurance plan, which was established in 2021, saves significant costs during processing and can increase profits at market.

“One of our big challenges is to convince the foreign buyer that they have to pay more for this variety-specific identity preserved product,” Frederick said, “but, really, when you break things down there is an economic advantage to paying more.”

Along with high quality and variety specificity, the product is already cleaned and sorted, which means that the purchaser will save money during processing on cleaning and sorting costs, as well as equipment maintenance and labor over time. Frederick also reported that higher protein IP varieties can get more bang for their buck and charge more for an overall better product.

NCI’s Food Grade Soybean Procurement Course, which was sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, also gave the participants an inside look into the process of purchasing IP soybeans.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to provide a better understanding of food-grade soybean production in this region of the world and help them understand how to purchase it, who to purchase it from and overall how the system works,” said Northern Crops Institute Program Manager Brian Sorenson. “When they go back to their home country, we want them to have a really good understanding of what it takes to buy IP, as well as take away some of the unknowns and concerns that they may have had about the process.”

In addition to learning about economic advantages to IP, the WISHH trade group learned in-depth about the markets, soy food plant operations and soybean harvest and storage. The delegation also toured various soybean processing facilities and area farms where IP soybeans are grown.

The trade mission wraps up with a trip to Illinois for SSGA’s Fork to Farm event on June 26. Fork to Farm connects the end users of the IP soybeans with farmers who grow the product, and allows potential IP growers to network with current growers and learn more about what it takes to grow IP.

SSGA tours Port of Duluth

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The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance experienced a closer look at the burgeoning shipping opportunities at the Port of Duluth-Superior during a visit with four Moroccan buyers as part of a trade mission led by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC).

SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick visited SSGA members Hansen-Mueller and Duluth Seaway Port Authority during the tour of the Hansen-Mueller Elevator in Duluth.

“You’re seeing history here,” Facility Manager Jeff Blaskowski said of Hansen-Mueller, which acquired the facility in 2022 after several years of vacancies. “This is a cool, old elevator.”

The Hansen-Mueller facility can store 3.5 million bushels of grain and stands 195 feet above the bar. The site also supports nine legs and has a nearly 2,000-foot dock and on-dock rail service from BNSF Railway. The facility was built in the late 1800s – “You’re not going to see a lot of automation here – yet,” Blaskowski said – and can export small grains, plus soybeans and meal, from the United States and Canada to both domestic and international customers.

Following the Hansen-Mueller visit, the delegation, which included buyers from Morocco’s feed milling industry, toured the Port of Duluth-Superior.

Though the port still ships about a million tons of grain annually – wheat and beet pulp pellets are some of the top exported commodities – iron ore is far and away the most popular material exported from the Port of Duluth-Superior, which first opened for commercial shipping over 150 years ago. The port is the continent’s furthest inland seaport and the highest-ranking port on the Great Lakes, attracting about 900 vessels each year. Shippers prefer shipping via Duluth-Superior party because traffic is uncongested; traffic on the Seaway could double and ships and barges would still flow freely.

“The great thing about the Great Lakes is we can offer a diversified supply chain for many of these shippers utilizing the coast,” said Kate Ferguson, director of trade and business development with the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “So many companies want to diversify their risks, and we know the Great Lakes can be a reliable chain.”

Grain shipments at the port dipped by 20% in 2022, the port’s smallest grain throughput since 1890. The port hasn’t moved soybeans in about five years, and overall grain exports could drop again in 2023.

“It was great to visit with our members, and see the potential shipping opportunities at the Hansen-Mueller facility in Duluth,” Frederick said “We appreciated the opportunity to visit the Port of Duluth-Superior and tell our story.”