USSEC Chief Program Officer Ed Beaman spoke to the Kansas Soybean Association at the Kansas Soybean Expo, held in Topeka on January 7.  Mr. Beaman’s presentation, titled “USSEC’s Role and Function in the Soy Family,” addressed USSEC’s focus on differentiating and building preference for U.S. Soy and its emphasis on ensuring that market issues do not hinder exports.  He also spoke about USSEC’s strategic plan and its strategic goals, in addition to specifically discussing its partnership with the Kansas Soybean Commission.

The Kansas Soybean Association (KSA) is the voice and advocate for soybean farmers on local, state, national and international issues.  Its advocacy efforts are made possible by farmers’ voluntary memberships and industry partners’ sponsorships.  KSA is the primary contractor to the Kansas Soybean Commission.  By law, the soybean checkoff cannot do the important farm- and trade-policy work that directly affects farmers’ bottom lines, so KSA does this work through dues and sponsorship dollars.
Over the course of a year, USSEC’s goal is to spend time with all of the QSSBs and work with them to mutually fulfill objectives.  USSEC is fortunate to have different partners who help fund its international marketing work on behalf of U.S. Soy farmers.
USSEC’s primary funding sources of the United Soybean Board (USB) and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) are critically important as well.  In addition, USSEC has solid partnerships with several QSSBs around the soy growing regions.  FY15 QSSB commitments and allocations help to fund U.S. Soy programs in trade and technical assistance around the world.
The role of the QSSBs is not just to offer dollars for investments in various projects.  USSEC also closely collaborates with the states on common messages, white papers, and trade missions, both inbound and those leaving the states, to help market U.S. Soy to overseas buyers.
Because of these partnerships, USSEC is able to leverage the dollars entrusted to it from the thousands of checkoff-contributing soy farmers throughout the United States.
With nearly 62 percent of all soy produced in America bound for an export market, the partnerships between USSEC and the QSSBs are essential.
USSEC is a trusted ally, working with QSSBs as their global marketing arm to enhance market access for state produced soy and soy products.  USSEC is the state’s gateway to the international marketplace, providing timely and relevant information through USSEC’s proprietary network in 70 countries.