Branding Efforts For Soy Aquafeed Take Shape

USSEC staff, Illinois Soybean Association Lyle Roberts and Mark Albertson and Steve Hart of Indiana Soybean Alliance met in St. Louis to discuss future branding efforts for the Global Soy in Aquaculture Program. Through various activities, the Program will promote U.S. soy-based aquafeed as a quality product as well as promote the idea of soy-based fish feeds in general.

USSEC will continue to provide key aquafeed mills with intensive technical support that will improve their production processes to produce consistent quality feeds with efficient formulations including U.S. soy products. The Global Soy in Aquaculture program will allow these mills to mark their bags with the U.S. soy branded message.

USSEC will provide U.S. soy industry branding information in local languages. During 2009, USSEC will pilot this program in select regions/countries before deploying it worldwide.

By generating awareness of the quality and sustainability of U.S. soy-based fish feeds, USSEC builds demand for this premium product. At the same time, it ensures that feed millers using quality U.S. soy and advanced techniques receive technical assistance. Supporting preference for soy based fish feeds provides U.S. soybean farmers with an excellent advantage in aquaculture, the fastest growing sector of animal agriculture.

The activities of the U.S. Soybean Export Council to expand international markets for U.S. soybeans and soy products are made possible by producer checkoff dollars invested by the United Soybean Board and various State Soybean Councils, support from cooperating industry, and through the American Soybean Association's investment of cost-share funding provided by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.