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.

Rob Prather discusses identity preserved soy products.
Rob Prather discusses identity preserved soy products.
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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.” 

SSGA presents at Indian Plant Based Foods Summit

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On May 24-29, SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg visited India as a guest of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), accompanying USSEC CEO Jim Sutter and Regional Director Kevin Roepke. The team spoke at the second annual Plant Based Foods Summit, organized by the Plant Based Foods Industry Association, held meetings and tours in New Delhi and Bhopal, visited the U.S. Embassy and staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service and Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) staff. USSEC and SSGA have coordinated activities and market access plans in India for three years, trying to open the market for food grade soybeans and products.

With a protein deficit and a significant population that practices vegetarianism, India has an unmet demand in soy and other plant-based foods. The country has a dynamic entrepreneurial food manufacturing industry, filled with startups finding new dishes, tastes and combining Indian tradition with popular new foods. This is all borne out by the Plant Based Food Industry Association and its dynamic leader Sanjay Sethi. Sethi spent the day of the conference speaking, presenting awards and meeting with startups seeking business advice. The conference also included cooking demonstrations and a trade show. The dialogue on plant-based foods directly parallels the USSEC-supported Right to Protein campaign, which helps India understand how its health and diet can be improved with soy and protein, and advocates for better wellness for the population.

Wenberg helped the team with what SSGA does best: providing expertise and technical background on market access and strategies to promote U.S. soy in food manufacturing. Wenberg also discussed SSGA’s High Quality Specialty Grain program operated with USDA APHIS and its U.S. Identity Preserved Assurance Plan to provide education and market opportunities even in difficult-to-access places like India.

Sanjay Sethi, Plant Based Foods Industry Association, and Eric Wenberg.
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The SSGA and USSEC team especially enjoyed their tour of Bionutrients, Inc., a tofu, soymilk powder and ingredients production facility. India manufacturers use products from Bionutrients to make their own soy milks, soy-based yogurts and ice creams. The team had a tour of the world class facilities with world class tastes. It was clear that more high-quality U.S. soy would be a financial and capacity benefit to Bionutrients. The owner, Mr. Sumit Agarwal, is a U.S. Identity Preserved program supporter, speaking at SSGA’s international launch of the program in Vietnam in November 2022. Sutter and Wenberg planted a tree together at Bionutrients factory at the request of Agarwal, to express everyone’s desire to make opportunities grow in India.

Manufacturers like Bionutrients and others face market barriers to importing U.S. soy, such as high tariffs, even while the nation imports manufactured soyfoods, holding back job creation in its domestic economy. USSEC and SSGA look forward to continuing their partnership to gain market access for U.S. food grade soybeans and products to India.

High Quality Specialty Grains inspection program can aid phytosanitary requirement

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Japan’s new requirement for a phytosanitary certificate for U.S. origin shipments of soybeans and soybean meal begins on Aug. 5, 2023. This requirement by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries applies to all shipments landing in Japan on or after that date. Shipments without a phytosanitary certificate will be rejected.

SSGA successfully negotiated to delay implementation of this requirement for three years, and, over that time, worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service as APHIS developed a stronger process approach for inspections of high-quality grains and oilseeds grown in the United States and exported for human consumption or processed for human consumption and are shipped bagged or bulk in containers.

APHIS’s High Quality Specialty Grains (HQSG) inspection program, is now up in running – in time for Japan’s new phytosanitary requirement.

This process-oriented, audit-based program helps our small, rural businesses reduce costs in their applications for phytosanitary certificates while also providing effective oversight through compliance with APHIS.

More information about the HQSG program and its requirements and procedures is available in the updated USDA Export Manual, beginning on page 157 of the linked PDF.

Grain facilities interested in participating should contact SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg for more information on registration requirements and to request application materials at 507-385-7577 or ewenberg@soyagrainsalliance.org.

SSGA thanks APHIS for establishing the program and thanks the Illinois Soybean Association, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board for their support in the development of this program.

SSGA joining USDA Netherlands trade mission

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Shane Frederick

SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick

On April 17-20, SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick will accompany USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor’s delegation during USDA’s first-ever regional agribusiness trade mission to the Netherlands. Taylor will head a diverse group more than 50 business, trade associations and state government leaders seeking to grow U.S. agricultural exports to the Netherlands, Scandinavia and beyond.

“This regional trade mission is part of USDA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen America’s rural economy by helping U.S. producers, exporters, and agribusinesses grow and diversify their revenue streams,” said Taylor. “Home to the largest seaport in all of Europe and an impressive network of importers, packers, processors, and distributors, the Netherlands is the gateway into the European Union, offering great business potential for U.S. agricultural exporters.”

During the mission, U.S. participants will meet with importers from the Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

“Combined exports of U.S. farm and food products to this region totaled $4.5 billion in 2022, an increase of 10 percent from 2021,” Taylor said.

Frederick will represent SSGA member companies in business-to-business meetings and promoting the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark program.

“It’s SSGA’s mission to promote the high-quality, specialty soybeans and grains available from U.S. suppliers,” Frederick said. “And making the U.S. Identity Preserved mark recognizable worldwide is vital to telling that story. I look forward to introducing the program to companies and officials next week in the Netherlands.”

While on the trade mission, participants will conduct business-to-business meetings with potential buyers, receive market briefings from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and industry trade experts, and participate in site visits.

IP Farming course now available at SSGA University

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The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance’s online learning modules, SSGA University, continue to expand.

All that’s missing now is a mascot!

Last week, SSGA University added a new module to its curriculum, a farmer-focused course on growing identity preserved crops.

The new module is a quick, easy and affordable way for farmers curious about or who may be interested in growing identity preserved soybeans and other specialty crops. Those who take the course, learn about what the identity preserved system is and why identity preserved crops are worth growing. Additionally, there are overviews on traceability, processor relationships, opportunities and challenges and best practices for growing identity preserved field crops.

After successfully complete the course, they receive a certificate and a technical manual that allows them to take a deeper dive into the topic.

“As the U.S. looks to expand identity preserved acres, farmers need more information on what their options are and how they might get started,” said Shane Frederick, SSGA’s manager of strategic programs. “This new SSGA University course provides a primer so they can consider identity preserved  as part of their production.”

Launched in fall of 2021, SSGA University now has learning modules that cover the “IP Highway” or full identity preserved system, as well as ones that cover the value of purchasing identity preserved soybeans for foods such as tofu and soymilk; miso and natto; tempeh; soybean meal, soy flours, protein concentrates and isolates; and buying decisions and technical information on identity preserved specialty and ancient grains. There is also a course on containerized shipping and one that covers SSGA’s phytosanitary project and trains companies enrolled in the High Quality Specialty Grain program.

To enroll in an SSGA University program, go to ssga-university.thinkific.com. Cost for the new Growing Identity Preserved Crops course is $100. Foreign customers may be eligible for discounted course costs. Please reach out to Shane Frederick for more information at sfrederick@soyagrainsalliance.org.