MinnesotaSoybean Council Educational Tour | An inside look at the Soybean Che...

MinnesotaSoybean Council Educational Tour

An inside look at the Soybean Checkoff Program in action was provided this week through an educational “See For Yourself” tour in California sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council with participation by the South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Participants in the three-day program visited Preferred Freezer, a cold storage warehouse and distribution center that takes product from around the country in preparation for overseas shipment; a regional farm show, and Harris Ranch to better understand how soybeans fit into the broader U.S. export market.

Members of the Minnesota Soybean Council Educational Tour visited Preferred Freezer’s Californiafacility

“The Soybean Checkoff Program has been a key funding component of the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s program activities in countries like Japan, where U.S. pork and beef are popular,” said Mike O’Leary, past chair of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council.  “Educational trips of this nature help soybean producers to see firsthand the export process of U.S. red meats to other countries, and understand how increased exports help build a stronger U.S. soybean industry.”

The mutually beneficial relationship between the U.S. livestock industry and the soybean industry was highlighted by John Hinners, USMEF assistant vice president of industry relations, who addressed the group during the tour.

“The livestock industry is the No. 1 customer of the soybean industry, and red meat exports are the key to a healthy future for the U.S. soybean industry,” said Hinners, who noted that every pound of U.S. pork exported represents the utilization of 1.3 pounds of U.S. soybeans.

As a component of U.S. red meat exports in 2007, more than 57 million bushels of soybeans were exported to international customers – a new record that exceeded 2006’s total by 3 million bushels.

MinnesotaSoybean Council Educational Tour

An inside look at the Soybean Checkoff Program in action was provided this week through an educational “See For Yourself” tour in California sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council with participation by the South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Participants in the three-day program visited Preferred Freezer, a cold storage warehouse and distribution center that takes product from around the country in preparation for overseas shipment; a regional farm show, and Harris Ranch to better understand how soybeans fit into the broader U.S. export market.

Members of the Minnesota Soybean Council Educational Tour visited Preferred Freezer’s Californiafacility

“The Soybean Checkoff Program has been a key funding component of the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s program activities in countries like Japan, where U.S. pork and beef are popular,” said Mike O’Leary, past chair of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council.  “Educational trips of this nature help soybean producers to see firsthand the export process of U.S. red meats to other countries, and understand how increased exports help build a stronger U.S. soybean industry.”

The mutually beneficial relationship between the U.S. livestock industry and the soybean industry was highlighted by John Hinners, USMEF assistant vice president of industry relations, who addressed the group during the tour.

“The livestock industry is the No. 1 customer of the soybean industry, and red meat exports are the key to a healthy future for the U.S. soybean industry,” said Hinners, who noted that every pound of U.S. pork exported represents the utilization of 1.3 pounds of U.S. soybeans.

As a component of U.S. red meat exports in 2007, more than 57 million bushels of soybeans were exported to international customers – a new record that exceeded 2006’s total by 3 million bushels.