Beginning with his first week as executive director of the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA), Eric Wenberg began opening new doors for the organization. But first, he helped the SSGA board approve its logo and membership dues.

“The board trusted me creating something new,” he said. “It’s a rare opportunity.”

His tenure with SSGA officially started in March 2019, when Wenberg used his connections in Washington, D.C., to help bring SSGA – a new organization created following the merger of the Midwest Shippers Association and the Northern Food Grade Soybean Association – to the Embassy of Japan.

“You could tell Eric was extremely well respected,” said Minnesota Soybean Growers Association Executive Director Joe Smentek, who joined Wenberg for the embassy visit. “He created a lot of opportunities for soybean farmers both in Minnesota and across the country.”

A lover of metaphors, Wenberg viewed SSGA’s humble beginnings and its subsequent growth and industry recognition from an aerial angle.

“Starting SSGA was like landing an aircraft on an aircraft carrier,” Wenberg said. “You realize you’re doing two difficult things at once. You’re flying an airplane and you’re landing on a deck that’s going up and down.”

Whether he was arranging embassy meetings, helping to launch SSGA’s U.S. Identity Preserved brandmark or communicating the dire effects of supply chain crises, Wenberg continued opening doors and landing planes for SSGA’s members throughout his 5 ½-year tenure.

At the end of September 2024, the longtime industry leader is retiring after an illustrious career in both the public and private sectors.

“It’s just a great time for transition,” Wenberg said. “We’re in a successful position with a trained staff who know their jobs with a marquee set of events that are now on the map and the calendar that people attend.”

Wenberg’s genial disposition and breadth of industry knowledge will be missed by colleagues.

“He’s such a rare bird, and I think others would say the same thing,” said Gary Williams, SSGA director of transportation and regulatory affairs. “The skillset that Eric has is really unique. You’ll find people who have been in the Foreign Ag Service and the government side of things, and some make the crossover to the association side, but what’s different about Eric is he can understand the commercial side. He can understand government and the organizational association world, and it’s really rare to find that.”

Shane Frederick, SSGA’s manager of strategic programs, said Wenberg’s small-ball approach transformed SSGA into a big player in the global identity preserved and transportation industries.

“Eric Wenberg might be the Billy Beane of agricultural associations,” Frederick said, referring to the general manager of the Oakland A’s baseball team who was made famous by the book and movie, “Moneyball.” “Under his leadership, a new and somewhat-small organization made a major impact on the industry around the world.”

Living the dream

Before joining SSGA, Wenberg completed a nearly 30-year career with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), serving in American embassies in Ottawa, Pretoria, Warsaw and Moscow. During his FAS career, Wenberg worked abroad, assisting U.S. agricultural businesses export, negotiating trade agreements and settling disputes with foreign governments, while speaking and publishing reports on foreign agricultural conditions. He also served as assistant deputy administrator of Foreign Service Operations, directing 90 offices abroad. He was tasked with setting financial management and policy for Farm Bill foreign marketing programs. From 2002 to 2004, Wenberg represented FAS on the governing board of the American Foreign Service Association.

“Eric came to SSGA not knowing a whole lot about the IP business,” SSGA Chair Bob Sinner said. “He’s made a significant effort, learned all the aspects of our businesses and has really been a champion. I’ve seen him work day-to-day with such passion. He’s been such a student of our businesses.”

Phillip Shull, SSGA’s South Asia technical adviser, has been a colleague of Wenberg’s for around 30 years. He said his friend’s enthusiasm and grasp of complex issues never let up.

“Eric’s commitment to seeing the job done is another thing that drives him. He lives it; he’s not an 8-to-5 guy. He’s going to be dreaming about this,” Shull said. “The multifaceted aspect of his job is you’re not just doing the same thing. You do marketing and you do the policy, the management, the administration and the diplomacy of working with the government and the industry and with foreign dignitaries. It’s multidimensional.”

The COVID-19 pandemic hit a year after Wenberg joined SSGA, and just days after SSGA participated in the Northern Commodity Transportation Conference (now known as the SSGA-led Transportation Go!). The Minnesota-based organization shifted into remote, virtual operations. To Wenberg, the pandemic felt like another restart for SSGA.

“Of course, we work internationally, so we began to adopt the habit that we still are pretty accustomed to, which is being on video calls and conferences late at night,” he said. “The pandemic made us rethink our business functions.”

In the fall of 2020, SSGA – working on behalf of its members who export high-quality, identity preserved and specialty grains and oilseeds to help them meet the needs of their overseas customers – was one of the first organizations to sound the alarm about the global supply chain disruptions. Those advocacy efforts included educating legislators and media outreach and led to the 2022 passage of the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act, providing a more competitive global ocean shipping industry and relief to U.S. exporters. A press release issued by SSGA underscoring the effects of the crisis later earned a National Agri-Marketing Association award.

“We give people the data and information they need to make decisions,” Wenberg said. “We set up a series of educational outreach on transportation and the difficulties, the steps that the companies were going through to try and overcome the difficulties to continue to deliver products. That’s a very important role for an association, for an alliance like ours to take on. The goal is to pass on the difficult messages to the customer, and I’m very proud of the role that we played in that legislation passing with unanimous consent in the Senate.”

Sinner, a longtime SSGA board member and president of SB&B Foods, said Wenberg delivered for the industry time and time again.

“All of our members talk about a return on investment, and it’s sometimes very hard to measure. But membership in SSGA, that hasn’t been difficult. This has been a no brainer,” Sinner said. “This has been a situation where people have become members because they’ve seen and recognized how important the return on investment is for the things that we do at SSGA.”

Addressing transportation challenges and opportunities has remained a key SSGA priority. In addition to Transportation Go!, SSGA has hosted multiple trade missions with stakeholders and the Department of Transportation to promote the St. Lawrence Seaway, most recently in Rotterdam in September 2024.

“The St. Lawrence Seaway is a regional solution that the region needs to support, and we documented that,” he said. “That trip did wonders for educating us in our region about what needs to happen next and giving us business opportunities. It’s also cemented the reputation of the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway administration with their European customers that the Seaway needs to be taken seriously.”

Fork to farm

Under Wenberg’s leadership, SSGA unveiled in December 2021 its flagship program: the first-of-its-kind U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark program to ensure customers are receiving the exact qualities and characteristics that they order. After an international launch in 2022, followed by the inaugural Identity Preserved International Summit in 2023, the program has garnered certification from 18 U.S. companies. In September 2024, the brand was licensed for the first time to a foreign company for use on their retail packaging and/or promotional materials.

Wenberg is bullish about the program’s long-term future.

“Businesses are seeing value from that certification because we’re making decisions based on the needs of these businesses,” he said.

Wenberg said members are finding value in SSGA’s agronomy action team, which pulls together farmers, researchers and agronomists from member states.

“For the first time, we now have farmers and businesses discussing crop management and seed issues from across state lines,” he said. “That’s been very beneficial.”

SSGA also successfully negotiated a three-year delay of implementation of Japan’s new requirement for a phytosanitary certificate for U.S.-origin shipments of soybeans and soymeal. During that period, SSGA worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to develop a stronger process approach for inspections of high-quality grains and oilseeds grown in the United States and exported or processed for human consumption. Wenberg said members have reported that the phytosanitary program is the highest ROI a trade association has ever delivered to its members.

“We just happened to have the creativity and smarts to package the expertise and the ability and the high-quality part of the network into a solution that was satisfactory to all,” Wenberg said. “I think that’s why I’m certain SSGA will succeed in the years ahead, is the high-quality grain and soybean market needs a voice. We’re that voice.”

All about the people

Through a pandemic, remote work, national events and international meetings, Wenberg always remembered that he was part of a global network, an attribute appreciated by SSGA’s board and staff.

It all comes back to relationships.

“He’s not only been our leader,” Sinner said, “but he’s been a friend and a real benefit to all of us.”

Having a passionate, engaged board made the job easier.

“My job was made easier by the professionalism of the volunteers backing this organization,” Wenberg said. “I have the most active board you could imagine. They have been there for me to call and ask for help.”

Wenberg was always available to share insight, or a dad joke, with colleagues.

“I have personally learned so much from Eric, including doing SSGA’s work with integrity, enthusiasm, creativity and, even with a little sense of humor,” Frederick said. “All of that can go a long way into making your programs and activities successful on behalf of your members and their businesses.”

Wenberg credited Ag Management Solutions (AMS), which has overseen SSGA’s operations since its inception and recently brought Williams, a transportation expert, into the fold.

“AMS is such a professional group that goes after agriculture with passion,” he said. “I’ve worked all over the world and found the most passionate people about agriculture in Mankato, Minnesota.”

Wenberg said he’ll continue supporting SSGA as the organization searches for his replacement. In the meantime, he plans to spend more time with his wife, Pam, and his two adult daughters while working on his honey-do list, starting with painting his 1973 Volkswagen Beetle.

“You don’t get to start things like this very often in your career,” he said. “It was a privilege.”

In late June, SSGA participated in the Workshop on Manufacturing & Demonstration of Soy Food Products in Bhopal, India. The workshop was a collaboration among SSGA, U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and the Soy Food Promotion and Welfare Association.  

Soy food manufacturers and stakeholders from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka attended the workshop. Demonstrations included dehulling and splitting of soybeans and production demonstrations for various soy foods. SSGA representative Rob Prather attended and presented about the power of using U.S. Identity Preserved soybeans for manufacturing soy food products. 

 Prather said South Asia presents new challenges for SSGA and its member exporters, while also providing opportunity for growth and expansion. 

 “The potential of joint workings of India, Nepal and the U.S. for the furthering of identity preserved products far exceeds the intimidation of current barriers,” Prather said. “Successful navigation of India and Nepal casts a new mold for future expansion of U.S. identity preserved products, not just soybeans, into new, highly populated markets with protein and nutrition-deficient diets.” 

SSGA will return to Nepal Sept. 19 for an Identity Preserved International Summit Workshop. The workshops will introduce SSGA, its members and the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark with presentations on IP advantages (quality, traceability, economics), contracting, farming practices, crop updates and labeling. These events will be an excellent primer for the Identity Preserved International Summit that is scheduled for Feb. 18-20, 2025, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The workshop is supported by the USDA Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) grant, along with Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and North Dakota Soybean Council. 

Jake Noll didn’t grow up on a farm but learned to love agriculture by being involved on his grandparents’ operation during the summers. Working alongside his uncle, Noll’s appreciation for agriculture grew throughout his childhood.

However, fate led Noll to stay in the construction business after building houses for several years. Eventually, he and his brother created their own construction company in the Twin Cities. After staying in the construction business until 2009, Noll felt the need to return to the agriculture industry and purchased a seed processing plant with two uncles and a cousin.

Two years later, Noll got more involved in specialty soybeans and exports through the processing plant. Rick Brandenburger, the president of Richland IFC, was there as a mentor for Noll and helped make the processing plant what it is today. When Richland had an open position for a procurement manager, Noll jumped at the opportunity at the advice from Brandenburger. Now, Noll works for the company as a general manager.

“I have a little bit of involvement everywhere,” Noll said. “I enjoy that part, because I get to see a little bit of everything and help bridge gaps.”

In his position, Noll’s main involvement is in procurement, but he also helps out with marketing, logistics and plant operations, and every once in a while, he helps with accounting.

Before Noll started at Richland, he got involved in the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) as a member during its early stages. Now that he is at Richland, the benefits of membership show up in many ways.

“SSGA is supportive of the majority of our business because of what it does,” he said. “It’s very difficult for one company to educate the masses in other countries, but SSGA has that reach and has the staff to educate. It’s a benefit.”

Noll recognizes that the work that SSGA does has directly benefited him in his current position. One example of this is the High Quality Specialty Grains program, which allows Richland to stay competitive in the marketplace.

However, the programs that come out of SSGA are not the only benefit to becoming a member. Noll has seen major returns just from being in the same room as others who are knowledgeable about the specialty soy industry.

“The benefit of working with those groups on projects is that it brings out different viewpoints,” said Noll. “We can get together and come up with solutions to those problems that we both have.”

A year prior to getting onto the board, Noll joined the SSGA’s food grade soya action team after Executive Director Eric Wenberg encouraged him to become more involved. On the committee, Noll was able to engage in the work that was being done to educate others about Identity Preserved soybeans.

As committee chair, Noll enjoys being able to provide insight and make recommendations to the board. Because of his work on the committee, Noll was encouraged to run for a board position and was elected last year.

“I wanted more involvement, and I want to keep learning more,” Noll said. “It was the next step for me to help shape the organization.”

Noll has seen the benefit of becoming a member of SSGA and encourages others in the specialty soybean field to get involved.

“You gain a lot of insight and access to programs,” he said. “I would think there’s everything to gain by becoming a member.”

This monthly feature from SSGA’s Agronomy Action Team highlights growing conditions for Identity Preserved crops from different regions around the country. Thanks to the states/regions that contributed this month. If you would like to contribute, please get in touch with David Kee or Shane Frederick. You should also follow David Kee on Twitter for some of the latest, most-interesting information on agronomy and research that affect IP and other farmers.

Illinois

The USDA puts the crop at 36% good to excellent, a 6% improvement over the last report, but still 25% behind the five-year average.

Most of Illinois has seen significant relief from the dry conditions beginning the last few days of June. That rain did come with some substantial winds and storms and has done significant crop damage in several areas throughout the state. Soybeans obviously fared much better than corn, but some localized hail events were hard on some soybean fields. We will need continued rains over the next 6-8 weeks to finish the soybean crop, but there is still a chance for a very good crop.

Most of the earliest planted fields did hit the reproductive stages by June 21, which is the goal to capture maximum sunlight/yield potential. In a few areas it has already started, but fungicide applications will get going pretty heavily by the middle of next week and follow the maturity for the next month. We will plant soybeans for four months somewhere in the state. The double-crop beans after wheat finished up last week in the south-central part of the state.

Late July and August rains are critical for the success of the Illinos soybean crop. The forecast for the next 10 days holds significant chances of rain across the state, so it looks like we will make it through most of July. … August will be the wildcard.

– Scott A. Eversgerd, Field Agronomist – Southern Illinois, Pioneer Hi-Bred Int’l

Michigan

The soybean crop in Michigan has gotten some relief from the very dry conditions in June in sporadic rainfall in early July. Nearly all of the rainfall events have been scattered with some areas receiving adequate amounts, while others are left needing more. Whatever the amount, farmers are thankful for the improvement in their crops. The most recent USDA crop progress report indicated that 62% of the state has adequate to surplus moisture in the topsoil. This has resulted in 31% of the soybean crop rated as good to excellent.

The most-advanced soybean crop growth stage is R2 with many fields just beginning to flower at R1. Some fields with limited soil moisture at planting have plants that are at R1 while other skips in the crop stand are filling in with unifoliate plants that have emerged with the recent rainfall. Variable maturity at harvest is likely in many fields.

Many growers are relieved that their crop stress has been relieved with rainfall but are still concerned as soil moisture is temporary with the increased crop size and water needs. “Cautiously optimistic” may describe much grower sentiment at this time.

– Mark Seamon, Research Director, Michigan Soybean Committee

Minnesota

Minnesota is dry! According to the July 6 drought monitor report, 98% of the state is in abnormally dry (D0) to severe (D2) drought status. In the July 3 Minnesota crop progress report, topsoil moisture supplies were rated 46% short to very short, 51% adequate and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 50% very short to short, 46% adequate, and 4% surplus.

Most of the annual crops are now in the reproductive growth stages, the period of maximum evapotranspiration and sensitivity to drought damage (seed set and seed fill). Small grain crop yields have already been impacted in northwest Minnesota. Much of June saw drought, excessive heat (>95^oF), and smoke from Canadian wildfires that impacted small grain canopy height and will impact seed set and seed fill.

As soybean and corn are currently in early reproductive stages, timely rains could still provide moisture needed for decent yields. Consequently, yield for these crops is predicted to be highly variable due to summer precipitation patterns (scattered thundershowers across the landscape).

Disease and insect pressure have been manageable to date. Weed control programs have been largely effective to date. Residual herbicide activity was impacted by the drought, and control for most of the pre-emergent programs have lapsed. The lack of canopy closure over much of the soybeans is worrisome; crop yield will be dependent on the success of post-emergent weed control program.

The current recommendation is to scout, scout then scout some more. These, and other, concerns will make July and August two very long months.

– David Kee, Director of Research, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council

Missouri

It has been dry around Missouri. We are averaging about six workdays per week as given to us by the USDA’s survey. In recent days we have seen some rain and are looking into the forecast seeing that we have good chances this week with higher humidity and temperatures coming in the next 3-5 days.

Missouri’s corn crop is 52% silking with about 3% at dough, and 23% of the crop is rated as good. The soybean crop across the state has 37% blooming with 6% setting pods, and about 23% is rated as good. The state’s cotton crop is moving through the dry season, as expected, very well, and about 76% of the crop is squaring with 6% of the crop setting bolls. The cotton crop in southeast Missouri is thriving with 67% of the crop rated as good. The rice crop in southeast Missouri is also progressing, and it is showing about 22% of the crop as headed with 64% of the crop rated as good. Our winter wheat crop is almost harvested for the season, and we are seeing our pasture and range land taking a big hit with the minimal amounts of rain we have had. Only 4% of the state’s range and pastureland are rated as good.

We are needing rain across the entire state, and we have high hopes for the predicted rain to come to fruition this week.

– Eric Oseland, Director of Agronomy and Research, Missouri Soybeans

North Dakota

North Dakota experienced hot and dry growing conditions in early June with scattered and patchy rains. Last week’s average daily air temperatures trended normal or below normal according to records from NDAWN stations. The northeast region remains dry with little, or no rain received last week, which negatively impacted crop development.

Soybeans and other broad-leaf crops such as field peas and canola started to flower. IDC symptoms continue to show up in soybeans. Soybean aphids were observed a few weeks ago. Grasshopper populations are slowly increasing, and the nymphs are becoming big. Scouting continues to be important to monitor and manage various insects and disease pests.

It has also been hot and dry in northwest North Dakota. Scattered and patchy rains were not enough to alleviate the drought stress that crops experienced in the past several weeks. Crop growth stages are in a wide range, from flowering to heading.

South-central North Dakota received about 0.1-1.5-inches of rain last week, but more rain is needed during the coming weeks.

Overall, most of North Dakota is experiencing dry conditions. Soil moisture at 4- and 8-inch depths show deficits mainly in the northwestern part of the states and north of I-94, with optimum to excess moisture mainly south of I-94 and several locations in eastern North Dakota. Widespread and timely rains are needed to overcome dry conditions during the pod-filling period of various crops.

— Miki Miheguli, Research Programs Coordinator, North Dakota Soybean Council

Wisconsin

According to the latest USDA-NASS report, Wisconsin farmers experienced six favorable days for fieldwork during the week ending on July 9. The growth of crops was aided by sporadic rain, particularly in the western regions of the state, resulting in a 1% increase in the condition of soybeans and a 2% increase in the condition of corn compared to the previous week.

Currently, 42% of soybeans and 45% of corn are reported to be in good to excellent condition. However, persistent dry conditions continue to pose challenges for crop growth across most of the state. The corn crop has begun to silk, with 2% completion, only 2% behind the average recorded between 2018 and 2022. In contrast, soybean blooming has reached 22%, trailing behind the five-year average by 10%, with 1% of fields starting to set pods.

Looking ahead, the forthcoming days will prove critical for crop yields in Wisconsin, as below-average rainfall remains a concern for optimal crop development and production.

— Shawn Conley, State Extension Soybean and Small Grain Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Note: To see state Crop Progress reports from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): click here.

SSGA participated virtually in a U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)-organized “Soy Protein and Health” seminar in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 13. More than 70 representatives from Nepal’s soy food and feed industries, as well as Nepali government officials, attended the well-received seminar.

The Soy Protein and Health Seminar was held in Kathmandu on April 13. Photo courtesy of U.S. Soybean Export Council.

The seminar featured a video presentation from SSGA Executive Director Eric Wenberg, who underscored the economic, quality and sustainability advantages of U.S. Identity Preserved (IP) soybeans. The presentation included critical information from SSGA’s research demonstrating that a 40 million liter/year soymilk plant could import 700 tons less soya by shifting from 36% protein non-IP beans to 44% protein IP soy, resulting in major savings in shipping costs and strain on processing equipment.

SSGA South Asia Technical Adviser Philip Shull joined the seminar to answer questions. Several soy food processors expressed interest in obtaining assistance from SSGA on exporting processed soy foods made from U.S. IP soy to India and other regional markets. Unlike India, where U.S. whole soybeans are still banned, Nepal is an active importer of U.S. soybeans. SSGA plans team up with USSEC to participate in person in follow-up promotional events in Nepal and India later this year.