ISA Board and Staff Members Attend Regional Advisory Council Meeting for Soy Excellence Centers in India
Among the Illinois Soybean Association’s (ISA) Market Development projects and sponsorships, arguably one of the most impactful is the Soy Excellence Center (SEC) programing around the world. The growth of these ‘centers’ has proven beneficial for the trainees and for the growth of the soybean industry. In addition to established programming in the Americas, Asia, Middle East North Africa (MENA), and Nigeria, new development in India has the possibility for exponential growth.
ISA has been supportive of the SEC in India from the very beginning. The SEC program engages professionals in the protein space to foster relationships and nurture positive experiences though its courses and to ultimately create demand for U.S. soybeans. In 2024 alone, projections for training in each region are expected to reach over 12,000 participants. Between in-person and online training, courses are offered in the areas of aquaculture, beef, dairy, feed milling, pork, poultry, soy foods, and other.
• Americas: 44 trainings – Reaching approx. 4,597 participants – 31 trainings completed
• Asia: 16 trainings- Reaching approx. 1,586participants- – 6 Trainings completed
• India: 09 trainings- Reaching approx. 706 participants – 6 Training completed
• MENA: 38 trainings -Reaching approx. 3,753 participants – 26 training completed
• Nigeria: 23 Trainings- Reaching approx. 749 participants – 8 training completed
ISA Board Director, Mark Read, along with staff member, Todd Main, recently traveled to India to see the work in action. Check out Read’s accounts of their travels below:
“We met in Mumbai with the Regional Advisory Council which the U.S. Soybean Export Council organized. The Council comprises Indian Agriculture leaders from the poultry, aquaculture, and food areas. Todd Main and I were excited to interact with them and share in the excitement of the committee working together to get a great start to the SEC program in India.
India ranks fifth in soybean production and was previous a net exporter until recent years. Now as the country has the largest population in the world, India is at a crossroads when it comes to feeding their people. In-country poultry producers are pushing to expand but they need to import soybeans and soybean meal to meet their demand. As we explore new and emerging markets for soybean exports, we believe the work we have done in India will create new demand for soybeans and allow for a strong market share pending the reduction of trade barriers.
The SEC implementation in India has come at the right time. They need workforce training to account for the changes in their industries and meet the demands of a growing population. The Indian government is pushing a skills program that is cohesive with the SEC courses offered in hopes of creating a more robust, specialized workforce. To date, there have been seven courses offered since its inception in October 2023: 3 Poultry, 3 Feed Milling, and 1 Human Food Utilization. As part of our travel, we were able to sit through an intermediate course in Feed Milling and Poultry. The students involved with the courses showed great promise with their engagement and potential to grow through the program. The basic courses have been taught with a digital self–paced hybrid program that has proven beneficial for the students and the cost of programming.
Another highlight of the trip was a combined meeting with a leadership group from Iowa that included Governor Kim Reynolds and agriculture leaders from Iowa. The meeting was well received by the Indian Agriculture leaders, and we hope to see its benefits come to light in the future. Our trip to India truly showed the value and impact of the work USSEC has done with the SEC to change the trajectory of the soybean industry and the lives of the students involved. Each interaction with the people of India, their government, and industry stakeholders helps show our commitment to offering high-quality soybeans and improving access to trade between our countries. We hope that soon, we can see the sale of soybeans to India for the next step in feeding the world.” – Mark Read, ISA District 5 Director
