soybean field

Grower Leaders Visit Vietnam to Gain Better Understanding of the Aquaculture Value Chain

A group of seven grower leaders traveled to Vietnam to learn more about aquaculture and the aquaculture value chain approach that USSEC Southeast Asia (SEA) is using for the aquaculture program.

Due to the reorganization of the United Soybean Board (USB) action team structure, there will be no USSEC Aquaculture Stakeholders meeting in FY 1013, which will place a greater importance on such visits.  Grower leader visits will essentially be the only time that USSEC contractors in the field have to interact with U.S. soy farmers to showcase how their funding is being utilized.
During the two day trip, the group visited all four aspects of the value chain:  nursery, growout, feedmill and processing unit.  The USSEC SEA Aqua Team presented FY 2013 staff activities to the grower leaders.  This visit provided the SEA Aqua Team with the opportunity to interact with farmers both to learn from them and to discuss their activities in more detail.  The Aqua Team received feedback from the grower leaders that they were impressed with the aquaculture program and felt that it was a good use of funds.

USSEC Grower Leaders pose with the SE Asia Aquaculture team (in red shirts) in Vietnam
USSEC Grower Leaders pose with the SE Asia Aquaculture team (in red shirts) in Vietnam