2025 Successes: Standing Out in the Field Strengthens Relationships
USSEC excels in building and strengthening relationships between U.S. Soy customers, value chain members and farmers. One of the most effective ways to do this is to literally make it possible for them to stand out in a U.S. soybean field together.
This setting creates memorable conversations.
- Customers learn how U.S. farmers grow soybeans, seeing evidence of the practices that lead to the sustainability and quality of U.S. Soy.
- Farmers gain deep insight into the needs of end users, further informing how they produce U.S. Soy.
Similarly, tours of U.S. grain elevators, river and train terminals, research facilities, feed mills and other key steps in soy exports bring the U.S. Soy value chain to life for international customers. Members of the value chain share their role in getting soybeans from fields to buyers.
In 2025, USSEC welcomed 35 trade teams to the U.S. Throughout the year, 562 participants representing 50 countries met face-to-face with the people behind the soy products they buy. They visited 52 farms and 57 USSEC members in 22 states, providing time to foster thousands of business relationships and building trust in the U.S. Soy value chain.
Most teams traveled together from a USSEC region. Many included a variety of potential customers, but some groups had a common focus, like soy foods or feed manufacturing. USSEC worked with allied and export members to tailor each trip to enrich customer understanding of U.S. Soy, taking participants behind the scenes and diving deep into details.
This trade team from Algeria and Tunisia checked out Louisiana farmer Clayton Hurdle’s mature soybean crop and visited a port near New Orleans in August 2025.
Throughout the Growing Season
Most trade teams visited the U.S. between mid-May and September, while soybeans were growing. For some participants, this was their first opportunity to see growing soybeans. Others, with years of purchasing experience, took advantage of opportunities to evaluate 2025 crops for themselves.
Most trade team itineraries included at least one farm visit and one or more visits to relevant links in their supply chain. In addition, meetings with exporters and state soybean boards allowed trade team members to connect with industry experts and gain market insight to inform future purchases.
A trade team from China evaluates Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt’s soybean crop during a farm visit in August 2025.
Enhancing Events
Many of the 2025 trade teams timed their visit with another event to get the most from their time in the United States. For example, one team from the Americas attended the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, in early June. Roughly half the teams toured the U.S. either before or after Soy Connext 2025. Others came to the U.S. for specific training, like those attending a full fat soybean meal short course and those participating in the Soybean Oil Masters program.
A USSEC trade team focused on pork production visited both a U.S. farm and the World Pork Expo.
USSEC prioritizes curating trade team itineraries to ensure participants, member hosts at tour stops and farmers get the most from these experiences. U.S. Soy customers and farmers agree that face-to-face conversations build confidence in the U.S. Soy value chain. The connections made throughout 2025 add to the unique advantages of U.S. Soy and strengthen partnerships worldwide.
Partially funded by the Soy Checkoff
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