SSGA seeks to make U.S. IP ‘big in Japan’

The tour through the Aeon Style supermarket in Tokyo showed the Americans several ways U.S. agriculture impacts Japan.

The travelers were part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture trade mission, and they got to see many of their exports or foods that use their exports on display, while shoppers also walked around intending to purchase some of those products.

The showcase included an impressive display of soy foods important to Japan such as natto and tofu, products that often feature identity preserved soybeans from the United States as prime ingredients.

“You might not realize the cultural importance of these foods until you see so many brands and varieties together in the cooler with shoppers poring over them,” said SSGA Manager for Strategic Programs Shane Frederick, who took part in the trade mission June 4-9 in Tokyo and Osaka. “Knowing that some of those products likely had ingredients sourced from SSGA members really underscored the impact our U.S. suppliers have on the industry.”

Indeed, the United States is the No. 1 supplier of food and agricultural products to Japan, a country that must import 60% of its calories. In 2022, Japan – a country with a population of more than 125 million people – imported $14.6 billion worth of food and ag from the U.S.

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“This shows that there is a continuously growing demand for U.S. products in Japan, providing U.S. exporters with a tremendous opportunity to expand their exporting,” said Alexis M. Taylor, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.

Taylor led the delegation, which included representatives of several commodity organizations, 11 state departments of ag and 40 agribusinesses who, she said, had the opportunity “to showcase the strength of U.S. food and agriculture products. Japanese consumers are especially interested in high-quality, health-oriented products, and I am confident that U.S. businesses can meet and exceed these expectations.”

Besides the Aeon and other tours, Frederick participated in business-to-business meetings in Tokyo and Osaka, matching with a tofu manufacturer, as well as importers with customers in the food manufacturing and school lunch industries. He also met with in-country marketing professionals and USDA Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) officials.

“It was an opportunity to meet people and, hopefully, start some working relationships,” Frederick said. “In some cases, we’ve begun setting up future discussions.”

Frederick’s No. 1 goal was to promote the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and mark, which was launched in December 2021. Fourteen U.S. companies have been qualified for the program and are using the mark. Frederick talked about those companies and other SSGA members who supply high-quality, specialty grains and soybeans. As well, he was able to share the story of farmers who carefully grow identity preserved field crops for food ingredients and other purposes.

“The mark seemed to resonate with the representatives I met with, but there is more work to be done to keep it growing and get U.S. Identity Preserved well-recognized throughout Japan and around the world,” Frederick said.

Frederick also met with USDA international services officials in Japan representing the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and brief them on the High Quality Specialty Grain (HQSG) export certification program, which APHIS announced in April and SSGA administers.

The U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and mark were developed, in part, through a USDA FAS Agricultural Trade Promotion grant. SSGA’s participation in the trade mission is part of the organization’s goal of promoting the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand program, which is also by the Michigan Soybean Committee, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board.

SSGA will be considering other opportunities to promote U.S. Identity Preserved abroad, including future USDA trade missions.

SSGA presents at Asia Soy Excellence and Food Summit

SSGA presented an update on the supply, sourcing and forecast for U.S. soy and specialty food soybeans during the Asia Soy Excellence & Food Summit 2023 in Thailand.

SB&B partner Todd Sinner presented virtually to the audience in Bangkok on Monday evening, while SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick joined the event following Sinner’s presentation to answer questions. They were part of a panel on U.S. Soy supply status, value differentiation and benefits with Ohio farmer and United Soybean Board director Bill Bayliss and Soy Nutrition Institute Global CEO Julie Ohmen.

SSGA focused on the importance of forward contracting, early decision making and developing relationships with buyers – all to ensure customers gets the varieties they desire.

The event, organized by U.S. Soybean Export Council and supported by SSGA and others aimed to provide updates on the soybean supply chain, soy food and beverage trends and innovation, soy health and nutrition, as well as consumer attitudes, product promotion and marketing.

SSGA joins first ever USDA Netherlands trade mission

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance is constantly looking for opportunities to promote its members’ companies, expand exports of their high-quality products and familiarize the world with the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand program. So, the opportunity to go to the Netherlands and be part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture trade mission there could not be passed up.

Last week, Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick attended the trade mission in Amsterdam, an experience that included opportunities to engage with Dutch businesses, receive market briefings from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and industry trade experts and participate in site visits, including the largest seaport in Europe, the Port of Rotterdam.

The U.S. delegation was led by USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor and included representatives from 41 agribusinesses and farm organizations and 10 state departments of agriculture looking to expand economic partnerships between the United States and the Netherlands and markets throughout Scandinavia. The trip marked the USDA’s first-ever agribusiness trade mission to the Netherlands.

Frederick participated in the business-to-business meetings and sat down with commodity brokers, food and food ingredient importers and port logistics service representatives. He also made connections with USDA FAS staff, state and regional trade group officials, and ag department representatives from California, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, among others; networked with agribusinesses from throughout the United States; and was part of roundtable discussion with ag cooperator and advocacy groups led by Under Secretary Taylor.

“This was an opportunity to go to the Netherlands and the European Union, learn about their markets and tell our own story about identity preserved and specialty field crops available in the United States, as well as the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark program,” Frederick said. “It was an opportunity to talk about the work SSGA and its members are doing, see how those efforts fits in to U.S. trade strategy and compare notes with other groups and companies.”

The Netherlands is the United States’ ninth-largest export market for agriculture and also the world’s second-largest ag exporter after the United States. In 2022, combined total agricultural and related exports to the Netherlands and the region topped $4.5 billion.

Consumer trends there include a growing interest in what they’re eating and where that food comes from and a willingness and ability to pay for healthy and nutritious foods. Their younger populations are open-minded about new concepts, products and flavors, and there’s a strong market for plant-based and sustainably certified products.

Frederick will be participating in the USDA’s trade mission to Japan this June. Feel free to contact him for more information.

More news:

https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/usda-trade-mission-to-the-netherlands/

NCI to host soybean courses

The Northern Crop Institute will host two soybean courses this summer. Industry members and processors of soy foods, foreign and domestic, are encouraged to attend either course in Fargo, N.D. SSGA members are encouraged to invite their customers or potential customers.

Follow the links below for more information on the courses and to register.

The Food-Grade Soybean Procurement focuses on sourcing and purchasing high quality, identity preserved soybeans for food products. The course will be held June 19-23. Learn more here.

INTSOY (Introduction to Soybean) course will be held Aug. 7-11. This course provides an overview of many aspects of the soy industry, including new ideas for soy-based foods, soy as a supplement to fortify foods, soy as animal nutrition and an overview of U.S. soy production. Learn more at this link.

Please email brian.sorenson@ndsu.edu with questions on the courses.

SSGA will hold Fork to Farm Day events at the end of these courses; in Illinois in conjunction with the Illinois Soybean Association on June 26 and in Wisconsin with the support of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board on Aug. 12.

Transportation Go! connects supply chain through collaboration, innovative thinking

A common theme occurred at the 2023 Transportation Go! conference: Ag logistics and transportation are complex and ever-evolving, and finding solutions to the problems facing the industry require strong relationships, collaboration and out-of-the-box thinking.

Led by the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA), more than 120 of the sharpest minds in the logistics and transportation industry descended on Omaha, Nebraska, on March 15-16 to work through some of those issues facing the movement of agriculture out of the Upper Midwest.

“When you have the type of influencers that you had at this conference, such as Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Commissioner Max Vekich, this opportunity to let them know what is happening in the real world of logistics or exporting agricultural goods from the U.S. is so important,” said Darwin Rader of Zeeland Farm Services, SSGA vice chair and former chair of our competitive shipping action team. “It can’t be overstated as far as how influential all this information can be.”

Vekich addressed the crowd on Day 2 of Transportation Go! Of note, he discussed last summer’s passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) – a bill and now-law strongly supported by SSGA – and changes within the FMC, including the charge-complaint mechanism, which he encouraged attendees to file if they feel action is needed.

“We want to make it so we’re a real regulatory agency,” said Vekich, a former longshoreman and Washington state legislator. “We’re going to stick up for the little guy. We’re not going to stand on the sideline; we’re going to get into the game and issue yellow cards, red cards, whatever it takes. … As shippers, you deserve a fair shot.”

While OSRA already has had a positive impact on U.S. exporters, the FMC is currently in the rulemaking process for enforcement of OSRA policy.

Attendees heard a wide range of presentations throughout the two-day conference, including current economic and supply chain trends and updates on trucking, rail and ocean shipping.

SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg highlighted the importance of the conference, and how it sparks action for attendees afterward.

“The transportation system isn’t really a system,” Wenberg said. “So we have to actively ask these transportation and logistics professionals to work together. Transportation is not seamless. As we’ve heard at this conference, there are obstacles in every transaction, sometimes insurmountable, but that there is relief on the way with the Federal Maritime Commission’s upcoming demurrage rule, which is going to provide relief we’ve sought for a long time.”

Other highlights:

David Briggs of Scoular addressed attendees about economics and the supply chain. He gave an update on the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, stating that they have recovered from the 2021 backlog, to having no ships in the queue as of March 2023.

Briggs highlighted two factors for the audience: Consumer spending during the pandemic and after has shifted, impacting how ocean carriers move freight; the West Coast ports are important to the global economy.

“If there is a problem with labor on the West Coast, it’ll affect everyone in the world,” he said.

Luisa Fernandez-Willey of the Association of American Railroads discussed the challenges for the rail system in the U.S., noting that industrial products drive manufacturing, and when there is a decline in industrial products, ultimately there is a decline in manufacturing, which impacts the rail system.

“Now that the economy has recovered, the demand for gasoline and petroleum products has increased,” she said.

She too pointed to consumer behavior, which drives intermodal shipping. Fernandez-Willey said during the pandemic, people bought items of comfort, which shifted the types of production of goods that were being shipped.

“There’s a very strong relationship between the economy and goods,” she said. “When the economy is doing well, rail is strong.”

While carloads of grain are down 9.7% from last year, she said, those are expected to rise by year’s end.

Brenda Snyder of HRG Search talked to attendees about recruiting, training and retaining shipping and logistics employees, which she said are some of the most sought after in the industry. Snyder said that by the time potential employees reach the university level, it is often too late to attract them to the industry.

“How do we get people at these kinds of events?” she said in reference to Transportation Go! “My guess is you all have kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews. Bring them with. Maybe they’d have an interest in this. You’re talking trains, planes, ships, trucks. Think about the coolness about what you have to do to get stuff all over the place. You have the cool stuff.”

Agricultural logistics, Snyder said, are mission-driven and involve not only solving big, mammoth, complex problems, but also feeding humans. “If you can’t market talent out of that, get a new marketing agency.”

John Wolfe of the Northwest Seaport Alliance reported that, with declining demand and reduced costs in imports, along with elevated inventories, that carriers are refocusing on exports. “Balanced trade is important,” he said, “so we’re working on solutions to help exporters get access to equipment.”

Partnerships are key, and the Northwest Seaport Alliance works with USDA and inland railyards to help containers reach the middle of America.

Wolfe also gave an update about the expansion happening in the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Wash. Wolfe dispelled the narrative that the West Coast doesn’t have room for growth. He pointed to the expansion of 20-foot equivalent (TEU) container capacity, and the increase in port depth to 57 feet of water in the ports.

Shane Kinne of Coalition to Protect the Missouri River discussed the untapped potential of the Missouri River in moving product down to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. More than 5.5 million tons of cargo move on the Missouri, and $278 million in infrastructure funds are earmarked for development on the United States’ longest river.

“It’s been an often-overlooked waterway over several decades,” Kinne said. “But we’re starting to see opportunities pay off.”

Peter Hirthe of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation noted that, as a trade lane, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway is underutilized, only running about 50% capacity. Considering the region surrounding that area is the third-largest economy in the world, “there’s room to grow.”

“Canada uses it more but doesn’t have the PNW (U.S. Pacific-Northwest ports) or the river system,” he said. “But we can improve the ratio of U.S. exports.”

U.S. grain exports on the system were up 4.3% last year, and there have been several developments, with more on the way, including new or expanded infrastructure and facility developments at Duluth-Superior (Minn.-Wis.), Milwaukee (Wis.), Monroe (Mich.) and Oswego (N.Y.), as well as upcoming opportunities at Cleveland (Ohio), Burns Harbor (Ind.) and Green Bay (Wis.).

Alex Leslie of the American Transportation Research Institute discussed the challenges facing the trucking industry, including the aging driver demographic. Most are in the 45- to 64-year-old range. “This is a challenge for a couple reasons,” he said. “One, we have retiring drivers and we need to fill those gaps. Two, we need young people to learn and grow in this industry.”

Wage increases have helped, but lifestyle, including work-life balance remains an issue.

Availability of truck parking is also a top concern, he said.

Elaine Trevino of the U.S. Department of Transportation updated on the Supply Chain Task Force and discussed DOT initiatives for tracking and tracing, including the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) and a voluntary forecasting tool called Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW).

“We see a need for improved transparency/accountability across all supply chains,” she said. “In the mid-term, we seek to improve and institutionalize data sharing. This industry is very opaque and lacks data.”

Competing and succeeding in the international marketplace, she said, requires being prepared to deal with uncertainty and knowing potential risks and opportunities.

Maria Bodnar of Ocean Network Express (ONE), discussed modernization and improvement to the shipping line, including new vessels, green initiatives and energy efficiencies, along with acquisition of terminals at various ports, putting ONE in control of some entire supply chains.

“We’re focused on smooth operations within the supply chain,” she said. “Communication is critical. We want to recover ocean shipping integrity. … We can be a good partner of the ag community.”

Brittany Batz of Cobblefield LLC served as Transportation Go’s moderator. She is an independent consultant focused on facilitating digitization and process improvement in the agriculture industry. Her company helps others drive operational efficiencies and enhance productivity through the implementation of digital solutions.

Transportation Go! was sponsored at the Show level by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, along with the state’s corn, soybean, wheat and ethanol boards.

Platinum sponsors included the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, South Dakota Soybean Checkoff, Illinois Soybean Association, North Dakota Soybean Council, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, North Dakota Corn Council, Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and Norseman Protective Solutions.

Gold sponsors included the Ohio Soybean Council and Scoular. Other sponsors included Buffers USA, Hang Tung Resources and Ray-Mont Logistics.

SSGA delivers ‘Classic’ message

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance delivered its “Fork to Farm” message and handed out plenty of forks (and knives and spoons) as a reminder during last week’s Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida.

The SSGA booth saw plenty of foot traffic, giving staff ample opportunities to talk about identity preserved and specialty grains and oilseeds to a farmer audience and others. Executive Director Eric Wenberg worked the booth along with Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick and Membership Manager Jodie Arndt. Southeast Asia Technical Adviser Hoa Huynh also appeared in the booth, as did David Kee, research director for the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and SSGA’s agronomy action team lead.

“Commodity Classic is a the perfect venue to get in front of farmers from all around the country and talk to them about SSGA and the work we’re doing in the high-quality, specialty field crop space,” Wenberg said. “Just as important is the opportunity for SSGA to thank those farmers whose state checkoff organizations have funded and supported our programs.”

SSGA receives various support from 10 state soybean and other commodity groups.

For the second year in a row, SSGA gave away renewable, reusable utensil sets made of wheat straw. These popular gifts for booth visitors included the “Fork to Farm” logo and promoted usidentitypreserved.org.

Additionally, SSGA gave away to Adirondack-style chairs, one with a “Fork to Farm” pillow and the other with the U.S. Identity Preserved logo. Congratulations to the winners, Todd Hanten of South Dakota and Kim Shields of Iowa!

SSGA, AgTC to team up for ag transport events

SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg and AgTC Executive Director Peter Friedmann.

SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg and AgTC Executive Director Peter Friedmann.

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance has long had a great relationship with the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, known as AgTC. So we’re thrilled that AgTC plans to hold one of its workshops on the heels of Transportation Go!

Transportation Go! will take place March 15-16 at the Hilton Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska, and AgTC’s Ag Shipper Workshop at the same location following a joint lunch between the two events.

“Transportation Go! is an interactive conference that addresses the myriad challenges and opportunities ag shippers are facing,” said Eric Wenberg, SSGA executive director. “We appreciate that AgTC recognizes our agenda and wants to build upon that with its workshop. These are two events that will actually make a difference in the industry.”

Register for Transportation Go! at this link. Note that the hotel block is available through Feb. 21. Also, please note that AgTC’s workshop is a separate event, and registration for that can be found at this link.

Through an interactive agenda with high-profile speakers and unique networking opportunities, Transportation Go! promotes in-depth discussions about the global supply chain and how it affects the vital movement of agricultural products from the United States, notably the Upper Midwest. This year’s agenda includes Commissioner Max Vekich of the Federal Maritime Commission, Elaine Trevino of the U.S. Department of Transportation, David Briggs of Scoular Global Shipping and more.

During the AgTC workshop, attendees will discuss pressing challenges for exporters and importers in an informal and off-the-record way. Invited guests will include an ocean carrier and trucking executive.

“The Agriculture Transportation Coalition looks forward to partnering with the SSGA to provide a unique transportation forum,” said Peter Friedmann, AgTC’s executive director. “We will bring our AgTC-USDA Ag Shipper Workshop format, offering all Midwest agriculture the chance to dialogue face-to-face with top ocean carrier, trucking, rail and port gateway authorities who will come to Omaha. These transportation providers and ag exporters (and importers) can speak openly, benefiting by our no-press, off-the-record rules. Ag transport is adopting quickly to changing markets and needs — exporters of soybeans, grains, protein, dairy, corn and any other ag, will get insight into what the short term and long-term future holds, new and needed transport options, and decisions by Congress and Federal Maritime Commission that impact your transport options now.”

Transportation Go! agenda nearly finalized

Transportation Go!, the premier conference for soybean, grain and other agricultural transportation issues in the Midwest, is set to take place March 15-16, 2023, in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Hilton Omaha. Registration for this second-annual event is now open at transportationgo.com.

Our agenda is nearly finalized with Max Vekich, Federal Maritime Commission; Luisa Fernandez-Willey, Association of American Railroads; Elaine Trevino, U.S. Department of Transportation and more confirmed.

SSGA is also proud to be hosting local college students at the conference. Students from Bellevue University in the Supply Chain, Transportation and Logistics Management major are eager to attend and learn more at the conference, with Hang Tung Resources sponsoring the students’ registration fees. Fittingly, Jared Spader, Managing Director for Kincannon & Reed, will speak about developing talent in ag logistics during the dinner on March 15.

Learn more about our agenda and register at www.transportationgo.com.

Identity Preserved International Summit puts ‘right people in the right room’

In 1960, the East-West Center, a place for education, dialogue and research between the world’s two hemispheres, was established in Hawaii.

Speaking last week during the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance’s first-ever Identity Preserved International Summit, East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum told the audience of more than 150 people, including many U.S. suppliers and farmers of high-quality agricultural products, as well as buyers from 10 Asian countries, that Hawaii has long been “center stage of many opportunities for progress.”

And, indeed, on Jan. 11-13, Honolulu, Hawaii, was the center of the identity preserved field crop industry.

“You know why you matter to each other or you wouldn’t be here,” Vares-Lum said, summing up the three-day event that connected the world of high-quality, high-value, identity preserved soybeans and grains together in a centralized location – at the “Crossroads of the Pacific,” where not only East meets West but across which many of those specialty field crops travel to market.

“These are the best companies in the world who do this – on both sides of the ocean,” SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg said. “The Identity Preserved International Summit gave them a chance to have real dialogue about one of the fast-growing sectors of agriculture.”

More than 50 foreign buyers participated in the first-of-its-kind conference, traveling from South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Nepal and India for in-depth discussions and networking, along with presentations on supply and demand, shipping and transportation, crop conditions and availability and more.

SSGA Chairman Bob Sinner of SB&B Foods said that the Identity Preserved International Summit put the right people in the right room for conversations about a small but significant sector of U.S. agriculture, one with a growing demand throughout the world.

“Relationships are critical in this industry,” Sinner said. “It’s important that we understand our business-partner challenges before we, together, can capture new opportunities. Suppliers and food manufacturers can grow each other’s businesses by collaborating to imagine, create and implement new ideas.”

The event was sponsored at the Summit level by five Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSBs), including the Michigan Soybean Committee, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC), Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (through its Soyleic brand), the North Dakota Soybean Council and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board.

“It was nice to see the growers, along with the people who market and sell identity preserved and the people in transportation all in the same room as the customer,” said Joe Serbus, MSR&PC chair. “For a first-time endeavor, it was a difficult program to put together, but SSGA pulled it off.”

Minnesota farmer and MSR&PC Vice Chair Tom Frisch participated in a grower panel, along with Wisconsin farmer Patrick Mullooly, Michigan farmer Mark Senk and Missouri grower Justin Rone.

“As a farmer, it was great to get to know the international buyers and an exciting thing to get to see who we’re growing for,” said Mullooly, chairman of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board. “These are important relationships. This event helped build those bridges, solidify relationships we already have and build new ones, too. It was also a chance to network with other farmers.”

Other session topics included ocean shipping trends; economic, logistics and commodity outlooks; the future of seed; innovation in manufacturing; testing solutions for quality food products; trade impact of maximum residue levels; and a workshop on the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark.

Norseman Protective Solutions and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) sponsored the event at the Executive level, and Hang Tung Resources (USA), SB&B Foods, Scoular, United Soybean Board and WeFARM Organics sponsored at the Supporter level.

Other sponsors included Brushvale Seeds, Legacy Agripartners, Insta-Pro International, Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Ray-Mont Logistics, The Redwood Group, Richland IFC, and Zeeland Farm Services.

SSGA presents at Minnesota Organic Conference

SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick spoke on the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand program during a breakout presentation titled “Planning for a Change” at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Organic Conference on Jan. 5-6 in St. Cloud, Minn.

SSGA was invited to be part of the event by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, a major sponsor of the conference and a supporter and member of SSGA and many of its projects, including the U.S. Identity Preserved program.

Frederick highlighted the program and explained how identity preserved crops, including soybeans and corn might fit into an organic program or an organic transition. He also showed some organic trends, thanks to data provided by SSGA-member Mercaris. That information showed 178,000 organic acres were harvested in Minnesota in 2022 and 3.77 million total, a 14% rise from 2019. However, as organic acreage has risen, the number of operations has plateaued, dropping by 3% nationally as acres per farm have gone up 17%.