soybean field

USSEC Organizes 12th Southeast Asia U.S. Agriculture Cooperators Conference

USSEC vice chairman and Jim Miller discusses sustainability at the 12th SEA U.S. Agriculture Cooperators Conference
USSEC vice chairman and Jim Miller discusses sustainability at the 12th SEA U.S. Agriculture Cooperators Conference

USSEC, together with the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and the Foreign Agricultural Service ‐ United States Department of Agriculture (FAS‐USDA), organized the 12th Southeast Asia U.S. Agriculture Cooperators Conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia from Aug. 25-28. This year’s conference theme was “Opportunities for an Industry in Transition,” and highlighted the changes and challenges faced by agribusinesses today. Economic and population growth, as well as growing affluence in the region, continues to fuel demand for agricultural imports, and the proliferation of trade agreements in the last 15 years has had a major impact on international trade and investment. 

 The event offered a mix of social and networking activities as participants learned about how production and supply chains will make adjustments to meet a new market environment caused by record supplies, the coming together of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic community by the end of this year and a lackluster Chinese economy.

Past USB chairman Jim Call provides a crop outlook and grower perspectives to conference attendees
Past USB chairman Jim Call provides a crop outlook and grower perspectives to conference attendees

USSEC vice chairman and American Soybean Association (ASA) director Jim Miller presented, “U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance – Soybean Production Practices” and past United Soybean Board (USB) chairman and Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council director Jim Call discussed, “U.S. Grower Perspectives: 2015‐2016 U.S. Soybean Crop Outlook.” Gerald Smith, Senior Agricultural Attaché, FAS-USDA, U.S. Embassy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam welcomed attendees. USSEC CEO Jim Sutter provided opening remarks and USSEC consultant and economist John Baize gave an overview of global oilseeds. “Soy Dynamics in the Asia Subcontinent” was presented by USSEC Country Director – India Vijay Anand, and USSEC consultant Jan van Eys discussed, “Global Poultry Perspectives: Development in the Feed Sector.” USSEC Southeast Asia Technical Director – Aquaculture Lukas Manomaitis talked about opportunities for growth and investment in global aquaculture.
Conference participants represented an estimated soy buying volume of 3.7 million metric tons (MMT) of soybeans and 7.4 MMT of soybean meal.

USSEC CEO Jim Sutter welcomes participants to the event in SIem Reap, Cambodia
USSEC CEO Jim Sutter welcomes participants to the event in SIem Reap, Cambodia