The January 2017 edition of PorcMag, the leading publication of the French pork industry, contains a detailed article on sustainable soy production in the United States. Written by Pascal Kuipers, a Dutch food and agricultural journalist, the article describes the importance of exports to U.S. soybean producers; raises and addresses some of the common European concerns with GM, such as weed resistance and concentration of the industry while highlighting the contributions that GM technology makes to producing sustainable soybeans (less fossil fuel and greenhouse gases, less water and improved soil health); and comments on soy imports and incentives for the production of alternative protein crops in France. Focusing on sustainability, the article reviews the role of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); the Field to Market Program and USSEC’s Sustainable Soy Assurance Protocol (SSAP).
USSEC and its partners have an active campaign to promote greater awareness of sustainable U.S. Soy among key industries in Europe, including feed companies and livestock producers. PorcMag is a principal news outlet for the French pork industry, publishing 6000 hard copies each month in addition to its substantial online readership.
Kuipers participated in a USSEC-sponsored trip to the United States last fall, which included visits to farms in Iowa, Maryland and Delaware. The visit and his interviews provided the basis of the article.