USSEC organized a two-day digital webinar, 1st Morocco Conference for the Dairy Industry 2020 on May 18 and 19. The event, which gathered key dairy industry professionals, demonstrated how USSEC is maintaining ties with its partners, quickly adapting to new situations during unprecedented times.
USSEC Regional Director – Europe and Middle East/North Africa Brent Babb highlighted the importance of U.S. agriculture and the importance of North African markets as constant importers of U.S. Soy. He updated participants on the U.S. planting season, adding that U.S. supply infrastructure is always open for business. Morocco is the largest U.S. soybean meal importer in the EU/MENA region with a significant growth area in feed and dairy sectors.
USSEC consultant David Gast, Director of Nutrition and Technical Services at Ag Processing, thanked USSEC for reinventing the initially planned onsite conference in a virtual format. The event provided an opportunity to disseminate useful management and nutritional information and concepts to the dairy industry participants, while reinforcing the critical role U.S. soybean meal plays in meeting the nutritional needs of the dairy industry throughout the world. He was impressed with the number of participants each day, as well as the level of interest they expressed based on the number and quality of questions asked of the speakers.
USSEC Consultant Randy Bowen from Valley Nutrition USA confirmed that the conference format was successful in disseminating valuable information to Moroccan dairy producers about the value of U.S. soybeans. It was a well-attended conference where Moroccan dairy producers and suppliers were exposed to the advantages of U.S. Soy as it applies to heifer raising, feeding to genomic potential with high quality U.S. soybean meal, and the advantages of U.S. Soy compared to lower quality protein sources for achieving higher milk production. Mixing strategies for higher milk production using U.S. soy products were covered. Industrywide human connections made after the conference will help Moroccan dairymen and suppliers to improve the production of their dairy industry in the future.
USSEC consultants answered questions about other ingredients and emphasized the higher value of full fat soybeans, soybean meal, and soybean bypass proteins as a source of soluble protein and lysine in dairy cows’ feed, particularly during peak needs. Soybean meal constitutes a high quality ingredient that sustains constant and stable performance of dairy herds. Continuing networking with professionals in new ways remains the key to mutual success.