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| URBANDALE, Iowa
- In mid-April, a group of Indonesian buyers came to
Iowa to tour different aspects of the soybean production and processing
chain, and look into purchasing Iowa soybeans. These buyers are some heavy-hitters, representing approximately 60 percent of the total Asian feed business – an important market worth tapping into. “When you can get the shakers, it’s very important to bring them to Iowa,” says Dick Vegors, marketing manager for grain and grain co-products at the Iowa Department of Economic Development. “Hopefully we sent home a positive message with them.” One way they did that is by showing the Asian buyers first-hand what U.S. farmers can offer that other countries cannot. “I think we can stack up against the other countries by selling the quality, and being able to produce the end-user the product they want,” Vegors says. “I think that’s our main advantage right now – providing quality and the variety they are requesting.” On day one, the group visited Europfins Laboratories in Des Moines, met with Dr. Charles Hurburgh, professor of agriculture and bio-systems engineering at Iowa State University and visited two soybean, corn and hog farms. On day two, the group visited the Ag Processing Inc (AGP) soy processing plant in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, led by Peter Mishek, manager of international trade and business development at AGP. They also visited the soybean, hog and corn farm of Curt Raasch, director on the United Soybean Board, near Odebolt, Iowa. “They were quite interested in a U.S. soybean farming operation…what we’re involved in, how many people we have involved in our operation, the amount of livestock, the acres, the overall business,” Raasch says. “For some, this is the first time they have been on Iowa farms.” Raasch says he explained the U.S. farmers’ efforts to improve the protein and oil content of U.S. soybeans, and the researchers’ work on improving soybean genetics and amino acid profile. “They were enthused to know that U.S. producers were looking to come up with win-win solutions – they seem to appreciate that,” Raasch says. After the tour through Iowa, the Indonesian group flew out to the state of Washington to visit the Port of Gray’s Harbor in Aberdeen, Wash., where AGP has a new soybean export terminal. The new terminal provides an increased speed and efficiency in shipments to foreign customers, which is a major plus for Midwest soybean growers. A competing factor between the United States and South American countries is the time it takes to ship soybeans and soybean meal to Asia. Timing has significant financial impacts because of the high freight rates, making every day at sea count. The Indonesians’ trip through Iowa was also important because it enabled Iowa farmers and industry to build personal relationships with their foreign customers. “Any time we have the opportunity to bring any foreign group into the U.S., it gives us the opportunity to sell them on a one-on-one basis and build the personal relationship that is so important of international marketing and international sales,” Vegors says. For more information about the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board, visit www.iasoybeans.com, or contact Grant Kimberley at 1 800-383-1423. |
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| ISA • 4554 N.W. 114th Street • Urbandale, IA 50322-5410 • Ph. 515-251-8640 • Fax 515-251-8657 | ||||||||||||
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