At the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Convention, Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with Kim Atkins with the U.S. Soybeans Export Council whose strategic goals are to differentiate the U.S. soy from other origins, elevate demand for U.S. soy, and to obtain market access.
Brazil is a top competitor with U.S. soy, but according to Atkins, U.S. soy is the most sustainable, has the lowest carbon footprint, and the most nutritional advantages. She said that the U.S. is the supplier of choice.
Atkins explained, “We have a variety of options for buyers of soy from around the world, and we look forward to being the most reliable and consistent supplier.”
Atkins admitted that she would like to see the U.S. get more active in negotiating new free trade agreements to help expand market access.
She said that global demand for soy is growing, especially in Southeast Asia and Latin America. “Support from our funders including the United Soybean Board and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has allowed us to really expand our presence and global presence.”
The U.S. Soybeans Council is actively working to diversify and expand global markets for U.S. soy in more than eighty countries around the world.
Atkins looks forward to working with the incoming Trump administration to emphasize the importance of agricultural trade while maintaining a good trade balance for the U.S. “More than sixty percent of U.S. soy is exported globally,” she said. “We need free and open access to those markets.”
