U.S. Soy Growers Participate in U.S. Soy Buyers Outlook Conference in Japan

USSEC chairman and United Soybean Board (USB) director Derek Haigwood and USB director Nancy Kavazanjian traveled to Tokyo, where USSEC Japan hosted the annual U.S. Soy Buyers Outlook Conference in Tokyo on November 15 and 16th. A total of 360 crushers, feed millers, soyfood processors, traders, wholesalers, government officials, and media attended the two-day U.S. Soy buyers outlook conference and press meeting.
Topics presented at this year’s conference included new crop quality, farm updates, high oleic soybean oil, sustainability updates, oilseeds market outlook, gene editing, and food strategy for tourism in Japan. Total registrations increased approximately 20 percent for the 2018 outlook conference, compared with last year. During the event, many participants expressed an increasing interest in the trade conflict between the U.S. and China and its future impact on grain trade.
Additionally, six U.S. food bean exporters exhibited tabletop displays to showcase their new crop during the conference for the food industry, including USSEC members Bluegrass Farms of Ohio, CHS, DeLong, Healthy Food Ingredients, Neco Seed Farms, and SunOpta.
In addition to Ms. Kavazanjian and Mr. Haigwood, USSEC consultant Dr. Seth Naeve of the University of Minnesota; David Hightower of Hartfield Trading Partners Ltd.; and William McNair, USSEC QSSB & Industry Relations Manager also participated. USSEC Regional Director - North Asia Roz Leeck provided opening comments via video.

U.S. Soy Buyers Outlook Conference on Nov 15th at the Tokyo American Club. About 150 participated in the oil/feed conference.
U.S. Soy Buyers Outlook Press Conference on Nov 16th at the Tokyo American Club. Press from Oil & Fat, Food, Feed and Economy participated.