SSGA elects SB&B’s Bob Sinner as chair

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Bob Sinner, SSGA Chairman

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance added one new member to its Board of Directors, re-elected another and tabbed Bob Sinner of North Dakota-based SB&B Foods as its new board chair during its 2020 Annual Meeting on Thursday.

Raquel Hansen of Pipeline Foods was elected to one of two open seats on the board, and Keith Schrader of Wheeling Grain Partnership was re-elected to the other open seat.

Following the business meeting, the Board of Directors elected officers, and Sinner was voted in as chair, with Rob Prather of Global Processing elected vice-chair and Darwin Rader of Zeeland Farm Services elected secretary/treasurer.

“I’m humbled to be elected SSGA chair,” said Sinner, who previously served as the organization’s vice-chair. “The chair is only as good as its board, so I will lean on everybody on this team – and it’s really a talented group. I’m excited about where SSGA is going.”

Sinner replaces retiring chair/director Curt Petrich of HC International.

Other members of the board include Rick Brandenburger of Richland IFC, Andy Bensend of AB Farms and Adam Buckentine of The Redwood Group.

“This is a group of such smart, talented people,” SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg said. “They not only represent all of the areas vital to SSGA and its members, but they have a passion for what they do. And that will only serve our membership and help our alliance grow and grow stronger going forward.”

Hansen, the board’s newest director, said she is eager to get started in her new role.

“I’m looking forward to serving,” Hansen said. “There are a lot of challenges in the industry, and I’m hoping I can help.”

SSGA’s annual meeting was a two-day event held virtually due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. More than 70 people logged in each day.

Besides board elections and business meeting, highlights from the event included several speakers and presenters, among them: United Soybean Board CEO Polly Ruhland, U.S. Soybean Export Council COO Ed Beaman, Tradelanes CEO Vijay Harrell and organic farmer Carolyn Olson.

USB’s Polly Ruhland delivers keynote at SSGA Annual Meeting

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The demand for protein continues to rise around the world, and there is space for everyone involved in its production, United Soybean Board CEO Polly Ruhland said during the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance’s 2020 Annual Meeting.

“We’re going to need protein of all kind, and it’s time to start thinking about that,” she said.

Ruhland delivered the keynote address during on Thursday, the second day of the two-day meeting, which was held virtually on Zoom due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions.

Speaking to members and allies of SSGA, which included growers, processors and shippers of U.S. identity-preserved soya and specialty grains, Ruhland said soy in human food around the globe “matters so much today.”

Restoring soy’s reputation – the “halo” that it enjoyed years ago – is key.

“It’s critical that we listen more closely to customers and consumers than ever before,” said Ruhland, who has been USB’s CEO since 2017.

Ruhland said she hopes to have SSGA as a partner on USB’s protein-first initiatives.

Soy, she said, can play a role in solving the world hunger problem, which, in turn, would play an important role in global sustainability.

More than 70 people logged on to the Zoom meeting for second day of the SSGA meeting, about the same number that participated on Day 1.

Thursday’s events also included SSGA’s annual business meeting and saw the election of Raquel Hansen and the re-election of Keith Schrader to its board of directors. Bob Sinner was later elected board chair after previously serving as vice-chair. Rob Prather was elected vice-chair, and Darwin Rader was elected secretary/treasurer.

The makeup of SSGA’s board of directors now includes:

Andy Bensend, AB Farms

Rick Brandenburger, Richland IFC

Adam Buckentine, The Redwood Group

Raquel Hansen, Pipeline Foods

Rob Prather, Global Processing (vice-chair)

Darwin Rader, Zeeland Farm Services, Inc. (secretary/treasurer)

Keith Schrader, Wheeling Grain Partnership

Bob Sinner, SB&B Foods (chair)

Petrich, the outgoing SSGA board chair, received special recognition as retiring board member as well as one of the first SSGA Alliance Honors. Petrich received the award for “Advancing SSGA.”

“You can understand why Curt has such a high level of integrity,” Sinner said. “On behalf of all of us, thank you for your committed and dedicated service.”

Said Petrich: “I appreciate the support I’ve been given from Bob, as well as the whole team. You’ve got a group of people here who are passionate about the organization, passionate about their business and passionate about our success.”

Other honors went to SSGA adviser Bruce Abbe (“Advancing Transportation”), SB&B’s Todd Sinner (“Advancing IP”) and the North Dakota Soybean Council (“Stewardship”).

Petrich also reviewed SSGA’s wins and challenges from 2020, and Executive Director Eric Wenberg presented an outlook for 2021 that included a rundown of projects and a robust calendar of events planned for the coming year.

The annual meeting concluded with an interview with organic farmer Carolyn Olson of Fairview Farm. Olson raises soybeans, corn, small grains and alfalfa near Cottonwood, Minn.

“When you raise something specific for someone and that thing is in demand, that’s a vey cool thing,” Olson said. “You want to raise something that’s desired. It is more work, but in the end, it’s worth it.”

SSGA’s annual meeting isn’t over quite yet. The meeting of the Competitive Shipping Action Team will take place 8-10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8. And to see on-demand video reports from SSGA’s technical advisers for Europe, Southeast Asia and North Asia, please follow this link.

Meet SSGA’s new market development project manager

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Lee Steinhauer is the new market development project manager for Ag Management Solutions, the management company behind SSGA.

Lee Steinhauer has been involved in ag production pretty much since the day he was born.

He grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota, one he continues to visit regularly to work alongside his father and brother. But he’s also spent much of his adult life working on the marketing and export side, becoming expertly versed in grain trading and shipping at various stops in his career.

“I’ve been building relationships on both ends of the spectrum,” Steinhauer says, “from farmers to international buyers.”

Steinhauer’s wide array of experience ought to serve him well in his latest stop. He recently joined the team of Mankato, Minn.-based Ag Management Solutions (AMS) as a market development project manager. One his main roles will be with the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) with whom he’ll work to increase awareness of U.S. identity-preserved (IP) practices and educate customers around the world about the advantages of IP choices in premium field crops.

“I love being part of feeding the world,” Steinhauer said. “In the grain trade I was doing that, and it’s the same thing here, helping the U.S. farmer. It’s come right back home to me in southern Minnesota.”

Steinhauer is one of those famers himself, raising soybeans and corn in Walters, Minn. Since graduating from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a Bachelor of Science degree in business, he’s worked for different companies, learning the grain trade and working with farmers, processors and exporters alike, as well as with buyers around the globe.

“I’ve learned what the market is looking for,” he said.

He’s worked extensively with producers on growing and marketing specialty crops and has traded millions of bushels to processors and millions of MT for export. His experience also includes working with all shipping methods conductive to business, including container, truck, rail, barge and cargo vessel, helping move crops grown for export in the inland region of the United States to ports such as the Pacific Northwest and the Gulf of Mexico.

“We’re very pleased to welcome Lee to our team,” SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg said. “He brings a wealth of experience and a fresh viewpoint that will be huge assets for us as we continue to work on behalf of our members in the IP soya and specialty grains industry and better understand their needs, as well of those of our international customers.”

Steinhauer lives in Minnetonka, Minn., with his wife, Hilary, and their two cats, Wesson (White Foot) and Webley (Not White Foot).

Hired in November, just after harvest, he has hit the ground running.

“I’m meeting everybody and getting up to speed on things, getting prepped on the direction we’re going to go,” he said.

SSGA welcomes new communications manager

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Career changes are almost always challenging, but making a move in the midst of a global pandemic has been particularly interesting for the new communications manager for the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA).

Shane Frederick joined the SSGA team in late April, coming to the organization after a 25-year journalism career.

“A hockey coach I covered liked to use the phrase, ‘Thrown into the deep end of the pool – with ankle weights,’ when talking about his team’s new players,” Frederick said. “There have been times when I’ve felt that way, especially having to work from home to start this new position. But I’m learning a lot; there’s been something new every day.”

Frederick comes to SSGA from The Free Press in Mankato, Minn., where, for 20 seasons, he reported on college hockey for the newspaper, winning several state and regional awards for his coverage. He was also the newspaper’s sports editor for the last year.

The opportunity to shift careers came at the right time for Frederick and his family.

“The sports world came to a halt with COVID-19, but the ag and transportation worlds don’t stop,” Frederick said. “There are important things happening at SSGA and in I.P., and I’m excited about the opportunity to tell those stories.”

As things begin to open up again, Frederick is looking forward to being able to travel, to get out and visit SSGA members, learn about what they’re doing and listen to their concerns. For now, electronic visits are working just fine.

“SSGA is a young organization that is still finding its voice as it grows,” he said. “Communication is vital to that growth.”

Eric Wenberg, SSGA executive director, says Frederick’s journalism experience will serve the organization well as it continues navigating the challenges and opportunities brought forth during a pandemic. Recently, SSGA debuted its I.P.-ODCAST featuring a discussion with Frederick and Wenberg.

“We’re very excited to welcome Shane to the SSGA team,” Wenberg said. “He brings a unique skill set and experience to our organization, and we’re looking forward to Shane helping to shape our communications messaging via our various media platforms.”

Frederick is a native of Chippewa Falls, Wis., and a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. He’s also worked for newspapers in Virginia, Minn., and Minneapolis and has been a freelance writer of several children’s books and articles for various companies and publications around Minnesota. He also teaches as an adjunct instructor in the mass media department at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Frederick and his wife, Sara, live in Mankato with their three children.

SSGA Member Profile: Rob Prather, Global Processing

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Rob Prather

Rob Prather

There are advantages to working in a small business that operates, quite literally, on a global scale.

“We know the IP (identity-preserved) customers; we see their needs and opportunities first-hand and can directly react to assist,” said Rob Prather, the chief strategic ambassador for Iowa-based Global Processing. “The personal relationship is the cornerstone of our industry.”

Global Processing, which began operation in 2009, exclusively processes food-grade, non-GMO IP soybeans that can be shipped directly to food producers, whether those customers are in the United States or around the world.

“When the processed raw IP soybeans leave our door, they won’t be touched again until they’re turned into soy food and eaten,” Prather said.

Prather has been in the industry since 2008 and involved with Global Processing since 2015. He says Global Processing is always listening to its customers, asking them what they want and what they’re looking for. Those IP needs are evolving quickly with soy food innovation.

“We’re always looking at new varieties of soybeans,” he said. “We’re always looking at ways to help customers buy a better product so they can make a better product.”

Food producers are starting to see the value in those products, Prather said, so the efforts are working.

“The traditional grain market sees IP as a higher-cost product compared to non-IP grains,” Prather said. “Food producers that utilize IP realize the value of IP in production efficiency gains, a higher-quality and more-consistent retail product.”

Prather is an SSGA board member and serves on SSGA’s food grade soya action team. With more than a decade of experience connecting growers with international buyers, he traveled to Japan and many other parts of Southeast Asia in November to meet with current and potential buyers.

Prather also traveled to Ottawa, Canada, in February along with other SSGA board members and staff to meet with SSGA’s overseas technical advisers hired to promote IP crops abroad.

“The opportunity to learn more and more about IP products and IP players is something that excites me about this industry,” he said. “There’s always something new that can be learned. … I’m very grateful to have been able to meet with that group.”

During its second year of operations, SSGA is helping the IP industry reach those customers, Prather says.

“SSGA has a unique ability to specifically represent the market needs, issues and interests of IP field crop farmers and the buyers needing to utilize IP products,” Prather said. “Direct connections create awareness and understanding and build mutually beneficial relationships.”

Prather will be presenting “Supply Outlook for U.S. Specialty Soybeans for Food Uses” at the upcoming virtual Pan Asia Soy Food Summit June 9-11.

Abbe honored for transportation leadership

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Bruce Abbe, strategic adviser for trade and transportation for the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA), was presented with University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) William K. Smith Distinguished Service Award at its annual meeting last week, attended by a host of state transportation, university and business leaders.

Established in 2002, the William K. Smith Distinguished Service Award is presented to a private sector professional in the freight transportation and supply chain industry for their leadership in the field and their contributions to mentorship and education of future leaders. The award is named in honor of William K. Smith, who served on the initial committee to establish CTS and on many CTS research and education councils until his death in 2001. While Smith served for many years as a state and national leader at General Mills, he also taught classes at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management and installed a passion for learning and teaching in others.

The 2020 award was presented to Abbe in part for his many years of service on the executive committee of Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Minnesota Freight Advisory Committee (MFAC), representing the interests of agricultural shippers. Abbe stepped down as president and CEO of the Midwest Shippers Association in 2019. He is now CEO of Abbe Communications and Management Services, LLC, and serves as a consultant to SSGA.

Get to know SSGA’s identity-preserved technical advisers

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By Kaelyn Platz

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) takes pride in developing ways to reach foreign markets through funding from the ATP grant. The grant has enabled SSGA to hire identity-preserved (IP) technical advisers to address issues in their designated regions to help enable increased exports by communicating about the benefits of IP crops and their traceability, reporting on trends, competitors and transportation and build upon SSGA’s value of providing resources that communicate the quality, diversity and availability of specialty soy and grains. The three advisers will represent Southeast Asia, North Asia and Europe.

The Southeast Asia adviser is Hoa Huynh. Huynh has an extensive background working for the U.S. government in a variety of capacities. He has served as acting assistant deputy administrator, area director for North Asia and Agriculture Trade Office (ATO) coordinator of the Office of Foreign Service Operations, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Huynh also completed an assignment as director of the ATO at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China.

Huynh was the regional agricultural counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria. In addition to Bulgaria, he also covered Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo. He has served as director of the ATO at the American Institute in Taiwan and U.S. agricultural attaché to the United Kingdom.

Hunyh joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) FAS in 1990 as an agricultural economist and served in various capacities at FAS’ Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in between his overseas assignments. In 1999, Hunyh successfully negotiated the market access for agricultural and food products chapter of the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). The BTA established a solid foundation for the current flourishing exports of U.S. agri-food products to Vietnam.

“After almost 30 years of serving U.S. agriculture, I’m very excited and grateful to again have the privilege to assist our farming community in developing, maintaining and expanding overseas markets, especially in Southeast Asia, for U.S. IP soybeans and specialty grains,” Huynh says.  “I look forward to working with specialty grains farmers to increase exports of their crops abroad.”

Huynh is a graduate of Oregon State University, where he received an MBA, an MA in multidisciplinary studies (MAIS) degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in economics. Hunyh is fluent in Vietnamese, Chinese Mandarin, Bulgarian and French.

The adviser for North Asia is Alyson Segawa. Segawa began her career by managing a multimillion-dollar portfolio of international market development projects for a leading international affairs management consulting firm. Through this experience, she gained access in 15 international markets, including North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

With her knowledge in international markets, Segawa decided to found her own business, Eliasan Consulting, in 2018. Her extensive experience has enabled her to be able to pinpoint market development strategies and tactics to be able to support SSGA’s goals.

“I am looking forward most to being an advocate for IP soya and specialty grains within the Northeast Asia region,” she says. “It sounds like there is a lot of real opportunity there to grow the different export markets for the industry.”

Segawa received her bachelor’s degree in international studies and Spanish from Seattle University and earned her master’s degree in international business and policy from Georgetown University.

She has been a guest speaker for numerous organizations such as U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council, Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, and Washington State Wine Commission. She also serves as a member of the U.S. National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council.

Eugene Philhower is the IP technical adviser for Europe. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of California, Davis, Philhower started his career for the U.S. government.

In total, he spent 33 years in numerous different positions for the government. He spent five years with the Agency for International Development and later joined USDA’s FAS serving as an overseas post in Brussels, Belgium; Geneva, Switzerland; Lima, Peru; London, UK and various positions in Washington, D.C., including three years as chief of staff and most recently as director of the Fragile Markets Office.

Since leaving his government job, he worked as an adjunct professor at Delaware Valley University, teaching a course on global agriculture and trade.

Philhower learned that he loved teaching, but realized that he had found a passion in learning himself.

“It is always a good thing to be learning something new,”Philhower says. “I view my role as a matchmaker. I know that U.S. producers can produce the crop, so I must figure out the demand and how to put the two of them together within the conditions of the markets and the countries.”

In addition to his expertise, Philhower speaks French, Spanish and a bit of German and Nepali.

SSGA elects HC International’s Petrich as chair at annual meeting

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The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) tabbed Curt Petrich to continue as chair of the premier business association representing identity-preserved (IP) soya and specialty grains.

Petrich, of HC International, Inc. in Fargo, N.D., was re-elected as chair at the inaugural SSGA annual meeting Dec. 3 in Bloomington, Minn. Bob Sinner of SB&B Foods, was voted vice chair, while Keith Schrader of Wheeling Grain Partnership will act as treasurer/secretary.

Petrich said he was surprised but humbled to be re-elected chair.

“I think there is a lot of really good talent in this organization,” he said. I thought maybe it would be time for some new talent to come in, but I am certainly willing to serve this organization.”

Petrich says with the board of directors in place, the organization can focus on improving how it serves the industry.

“I think having working groups meeting more often will be good for the organization,” he said. “We intend to stay laser focused on issues so we can deliver meaningful results for this industry.”

SSGA members also voted on board members at its meeting, expanding upon the board set after the merger of Midwest Shippers Association and the Northern Food Grade Soybean Association. Board members for SSGA serve staggered terms of either 1-, 2- or 3-year terms.

SSGA’s board of directors is:

  • Petrich, HC International, Inc., 1-year
  • Schrader, Wheeling Grain Partnership, 1-year
  • Sinner, SB&B Foods, 2-year
  • Rick Brandenburger, Richland IFC, 2-year
  • Rob Prather, Global Processing, Inc., 2-year
  • Andy Bensend, AB Farms, 3-year
  • Adam Buckentine, The Redwood Group, 3-year
  • Darwin Rader, Zeeland Farm Services, Inc., 3-year

“We have such a talented and experienced group of producers, processors and shippers on this board,” said Eric Wenberg, SSGA executive director. “We’re really excited to continue to grow SSGA and IP, food-variety field crops worldwide.”

First of many firsts

While SSGA has existed for nearly a year, Tuesday’s annual meeting was its first chance to bring members together to help mold the direction of the organization moving forward.

Tuesday’s meetings saw breakout sessions on food-grade soya, specialty grains and competitive shipping.

Sinner, who attended the food-grade soya and competitive shipping breakout sessions, said he was pleased with the amount of discussion that occurred, but lamented there wasn’t more time for discussion.

“I was really impressed with the IP and food-grade soya session, and I hope we expand upon it next year,” he said. “We talked about market access, about opportunities and challenges, and we discussed the U.S. Global Trade Exchange. I really enjoyed the thoughtful dialogue and interaction from all participants.”

Wenberg was pleased with the day’s events. He said SSGA’s annual meeting is an important venue for the industry.

“This is a fantastic networking opportunity for people across the country to check signals with each other,” he said. “At times, it can seem like every company in this industry is its own ecosystem — they have to source product, they deal with logistics, they do marketing, they adhere to strict identity-preserved practices. Here they get to talk to the people that have the same challenges and opportunities and learn from one another.”

SSGA members also heard presentations from Trevor Fouts, Strategic Sales Manager for AGI, which was the major sponsor of the meeting. Fouts discussed traceability and how AGI’s SureTrack plays a role in the IP, food-variety field crops industry.

United Soybean Board director Nancy Kavazanjian of Beaver Dam, Wisc., discussed her experiences and challenges as an IP producer, and U.S. Soybean Export Council’s Paul Burke, Senior Director – U.S. Soy Marketing, delivered an update from the organization.

SSGA talks transportation, research on Michigan tour

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With more than 300 commodities grown, Michigan boasts diverse agriculture, so it’s understandable why staff from the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) wanted to introduce the organization to the agricultural industry in the state.

SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg met with the agribusiness industry in Michigan Oct. 23-25 to learn more about Michigan’s identity-preserved (IP) industry and to see how SSGA can work for its member across the nation.

SSGA kicked off its trip at Zeeland Farm Services, Inc. (ZFS), in Zeeland, Mich., where ZFS officials shared transportation hurdles they’re facing. Among their concerns was the perception that heavy trucks damage the roads more than lighter trucks.

In Michigan, the allowable truck weight limit is 164,000 pounds on an 11-axel truck, which averages 14,900 pounds per axle. The federal limit of an 80,000-pound truck with 5 axels equals 16,000 pounds per axle. Despite the heavier federal allowance, neighboring states are adapting to Michigan’s rule to alleviate stress on roadways and increase efficiency by using fewer trucks, drivers and fuel. ZFS also shared other transportation concerns such as not being able to transport a fully loaded, 40-foot container to Chicago because of weight limits when driving between states.

“Visiting member companies like ZFS helps bring more awareness to issues they’re facing when growing, brokering and transporting identity-preserved crops across America,” says SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg. “By listening to our members, SSGA can bring these issues to the forefront and help create a better environment for the entire IP industry.”

Another stop for SSGA staff was to the Michigan State University agronomy farm to learn about soybean breeder Dr. Dechun Wang’s research. Wang considers the 11,000 non-GMO soybean breeding lines he planted in 2019 like his children and relayed the importance of support for public research breeding programs.

“Both public and private breeding programs are vital to the success of crops like soybeans,” Wang says.  “Public programs like the one at MSU ensures that growers have unbiased research solutions to an ever-changing agricultural climate.”

SSGA also met with new Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee director Janna Frisk, and with Michigan Agricultural Commissioner Gary McDowell, to discuss the issues Michigan faces with identity preserved crops, practices, and shipping.

Soybeans are the Michigan’s top food export and 12 percent of all soybeans grown are IP. Michigan also leads the nation in production of the dry edible bean classes of black, cranberry, navy and small, red beans.