ST. LOUIS – The Soy Checkoff recently journeyed to Panama and Colombia for its annual See for Yourself mission. A group of farmer participants accompanied by national checkoff farmer-leaders visited Central America February 4-11. The educational mission aims to cultivate the next generation of soybean leaders and this group saw how their soy checkoff investments impact other parts of the world and drive demand for U.S. Soy.
Nick Sousek, Nebraska Farmer said, “Seeing this sustainable and cost-effective approach to improving lives firsthand, even halfway around the world, was inspiring. It is not just about the value the checkoff provides but also about the tangible ways we make a difference in lives worldwide.”
The See for Yourself mission provided many learning opportunities for these farmers. The group toured the Panama Canal, an aquaculture farm, and a fish processing plant in Colombia, where farmers learned about U.S. Soy’s role in expanding the aquaculture industry to meet growing global demand for fish and seafood. In Medellin, Colombia, the group visited GrupoBios, a large animal feed production company that makes 30% of their feed with U.S. Soy. The soy checkoff works to create partnerships that increase the value and preference for U.S. Soy. Partners such as the U.S.A. Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), and U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) hosted market tours, customer and retail visits, and lectures.
“U.S. farmer participants experienced a remarkable educational opportunity to witness firsthand how their checkoff investments foster export opportunities and how sustainable U.S. Soy is a top priority for our customers,” said Philip Good, Mississippi farmer and Audit & Evaluation Chair of the national soy checkoff. “This mission not only enlightened a segment of the half-million U.S. soybean farmers in this country that pay into the checkoff but underscored the invaluable work across the globe to promote our commodity and drive value back to the farm.”
The soy checkoff is administered by United Soybean Board, and its mission is to create value for U.S. soybean farmers by investing in research, education and promotion of U.S. Soy. The See for Yourself mission is one example of that but checkoff investments also span production research, infrastucture improvements, biofuels expansion, advancements in animal nutrition, development of soy-based products and more.
The next See for Yourself mission will take place in winter/spring 2025, and applications must be submitted by the fall of 2024. For more information on the application and to read blog posts of the farmer participants, visit unitedsoybeanboard.com/see-for-yourself and the See for Yourself YouTube channel.
