USSEC – Middle East/North Africa (MENA) organized the 3rd Regional Dairy Nutrition Conference, held at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar in Dead Sea, Jordan from April 8 – 11.
United Soybean Board (USB) director Jacob Parker of North Carolina and American Soybean Board (ASA) director Dave Poppens of South Dakota traveled to Jordan for this event and spoke to attendees about their experiences as U.S. farmers and about the benefits of U.S. Soy. Orestes Vasquez, Senior Agricultural Attaché, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), U.S. Embassy – Cairo, gave the opening welcome and Brent Babb, USSEC Regional Director – EU/MENA also welcomed participants to the conference.

The program included: Export Logistics from USA to the Middle East Region; Cow Environment and Comfort Management (mitigation of heat stress with limited resources); Evaluation and Application of Bypass Protein in Dairy Rations; Feeding the Heat Stressed Dairy Cow - Managing the Total Mix Ration (TMR); TMR Formulation for Dairy Cows - The Cost Effect of Bypass Soy to Dairy Diets; Calf Nutrition and its Impact on Later Performance; and A Partnership – The U.S. Soy Total Quality Experience.
65 participants from the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey participated in the conference. Participants included major dairy producers and feed millers in the region.
The activity ended with a field visit led by Frank Delfino of Delfino Nutrition and Management, Inc. to one of the most advanced dairy farms in the region.

Feedback from conference speakers was very positive.
“The 3rd Regional Dairy Nutrition Conference, put together by USSEC - MENA, was a well-organized educational event with a good range of presentation topics and key individuals associated with the dairy industry from the Middle East and North Africa among the attendees,” said Dave Gast, Head Nutritionist, AGP. “The conference provided an excellent opportunity to meet with current customers as well develop new business relationships with prospects for U.S. soybean products. The large attendance at this conference speaks well for the quality of the conference and the value of the social and educational opportunities provided to those in attendance. Looking forward to more great conferences.”
Mr. Delfino stated, “The first day of the conference had very engaged MENA participants with excellent questions and discussion both during and after presentations. The 'one on one' meetings lasted well after presentations and into the evening. Could not have been a better venue.”
“Everything ran very smoothly and the attendees chosen, a total of 65 people from 11 countries, was a great mix of cultures and buyers,” said Kevin Sinnott, president of Fornazor International. “We have met many buyers we did not know before the seminar and look forward to following up with all of them on potential business. All of the presenters were very informative.”