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Nurturing U.S. Soy Exports through Accelerating Sustainability and Growing Connections

By Colby Pinkstone - Executive Director - International Strategy - U.S. Soybean Export Council

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) focuses on differentiating the quality and value of U.S. Soy for global customers, thanks in part to investments from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. We aim to create and elevate international customer preference for U.S. Soy products.

Nurturing trust in U.S. Soy is at the heart of our work. Trust requires building, strengthening and deepening relationships. Our team blends in-the-trenches support and big-picture strategic insight throughout the global soy supply chain. Their collaboration and commitment create environments where relationships and trust flourish.

These relationships ensure that high-quality U.S. Soy, including Missouri soybeans, reach customers who use it to sustainably nourish people, feed livestock and fish, and strengthen their businesses. Through these relationships, U.S. exports for marketing year 2023/24 totaled 60.8 million metric tons (MMT), valued at $31.2 billion.

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As a farmer, it’s incredible to know that our soybeans are helping feed and fuel the world. The $31.2 billion in U.S. Soy exports reflects years of relationship-building and the dedication of everyone in the supply chain — from seed to shipment.
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Mark Lehenbauer
Chairman, MSMC

Our most recent USSEC annual report highlights a remarkable network of relationships that contribute to ongoing demand for U.S. Soy. For example, during the last marketing year, U.S. soybean meal exports set a record of 14.4 million metric tons, valued at $6.7 billion.

Explore our work in animal nutrition, aquaculture, soy foods and soybean oil that Missouri soybean farmers make possible in the full annual report.

Accelerating Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability has become a critical priority for industries and companies around the world, and U.S. Soy has become an essential part of providing sustainable solutions.

The U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) provides verification and trust in the sustainability of soybeans produced in the U.S. More than 40.5 million metric tons of U.S. Soy products shipped with an SSAP certificate in marketing year 2023/24, covering two-thirds of total exports.

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Our sustainability journey is rooted in how we farm every day. With tools like the SSAP, we’re showing the world that U.S. Soy isn’t just high-quality — it’s responsibly grown and ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
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Mark Lehenbauer
Chairman, MSMC

SSAP certificates now carry data about the carbon footprint of verified soybeans, facilitating customers’ Scope 3 emissions reporting. This data uses life cycle assessment (LCA) information from the Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI). USSEC is the first organization to use GFLI datasets this way.

Such transparency fosters trust in U.S. Soy. To pass this trust on to consumers, USSEC offers the Sustainable U.S. Soy and Fed with Sustainable U.S. Soy product labels, which signify responsible sourcing with SSAP-verified soy. More than 1,120 products from 123 companies in 19 countries feature these labels.

USSEC is supporting global progress in sustainability, and that motivates our team to keep moving forward. The 2024 U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol annual report explains how USSEC is accelerating its commitment to sustainability.

Investing in Today for an Abundant Tomorrow

In addition to other export efforts, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council directly supports the Soy Excellence Center (SEC) program led by USSEC. The SEC delivers trusted professional development for early- to mid-career protein professionals in emerging markets.

Protein demand around the world is projected to grow, and the SEC program is taking the lead in developing educational communities to meet these needs. SEC training builds trust, relationships, and knowledge, as researchers and experts from top U.S. and global universities support curriculum in aquaculture, poultry and feed milling, as well as market-specific courses like food for human use and swine production.

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Programs like the Soy Excellence Center are where the future of global agriculture takes shape. We’re not just sharing soy — we’re sharing knowledge, experience and leadership to build stronger food systems worldwide.
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Mark Lehenbauer
Chairman, MSMC

The strategic learning centers provide virtual and in-person training in the Americas, Asia, Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Explore how the SEC program is growing achievements, connections and appreciation around the world in the 2024 Soy Excellence Center annual report.

Together, these reports strive to share the return on investment USSEC provides for the farmers that anchor the U.S. Soy supply chain through Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and other partners.

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