USSEC Holds Global Strategy Session in Colombia
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- General News
USSEC held its annual global strategy session in Bogota, Colombia from January 28-30. This yearly meeting helps to plan and review USSEC programs around the world. Travelers to Bogota included USSEC staff; USSEC board members; United Soybean Board (USB) Action Team Leads; the American Soybean Association (ASA) Trade Policy and International Affairs (TPIA) Chair; a World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) representative; North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) representatives; North American Oilseed Processing Association (NOPA) representatives; Qualified State Soybean Board (QSSB) representatives; Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS) representatives; and USSEC members.
Select participants attended a Strategy Refresh on the first day of the session, while most attendees participated in commercial visits, including a trip to a soymilk program center. This soy dairy project, supported by Rotary International, oversees 140 mechanical “soy cows” that feed approximately 40,000 children each day. A soy cow is a machine that produces soy milk by processing soybeans, water and steam. USSEC supports this program with nutrition education.
The next two days focused on USSEC’s Global Strategy Session. The objective of this session was to develop a Unified Export Strategy for FY 15 (UES 15) through reviewing global market conditions for U.S. soy. Topics discussed included a global market overview and outlook; how to drive customer preference; differentiating commodity products; securing market access through sound science; worldwide strategic approach, constraints; budgets; worldwide projects; and QSSB successes and opportunities. In addition, discussions focusing on the regions of Greater Europe and Middle East / North Africa, the Asian Subcontinent, Americas, North Asia, Southeast Asia addressed market overviews, constraints to greater U.S. exports, and USSEC’s strategic approach.
The final day of the trip included talks, summaries and conclusions. Industry presentations by and meetings with key contacts representing various agricultural and animal industries in Colombia and Latin America were also held.