The United Soybean Board joined ASA/WISHH to see how the program builds demand for U.S. soy in Ghana. 

ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program continues to develop markets for U.S. soy. Now in its 25th year, two recent trade missions to Ghana and Guatemala highlighted how WISHH’s investments in partnerships are blossoming into lasting demand. 

The Intersection of Trade & Food Security on Display in Guatemala 

In February, WISHH kicked off the 2025 Global Food Security Dialogue in Guatemala, bringing together U.S. soybean farmers, global business leaders, and public and private institutions to explore the intersection of trade and food security. Guatemala is one of the first countries that WISHH worked in, so attendees of the dialogue saw firsthand the success that stems from investment in Latin American markets. WISHH Committee Chair Morey Hill opened the dialogue by emphasizing the role U.S. soybean farmers play in global food security and noting WISHH’s work throughout the years to increase trade opportunities.  

“It is wonderful to be in Guatemala to meet some of WISHH’s longstanding partners as well as potential future partners,” Hill said. He gave a nod to regional powerhouses like Alimentos S.A., a longtime WISHH partner that now integrates U.S. soy in its products throughout Latin America. Alimentos receives technical support through WISHH trainings and expert knowledge. Its employees have even traveled to the United States to learn more about the value of U.S. soy for its food products. Alimentos’ Alan Ayapan highlighted the importance of fostering stronger supply chain connections between farmers, multinational suppliers and distributors, and manufacturers to expand the role of U.S. soy in the region. These connections remain a key strategy of WISHH and are a key component of long-term development of international trade markets.  

"WISHH isn’t about quick wins,” said WISHH Secretary Scott Gaffner. “It’s about building markets that will sustain demand for U.S. soy long into the future.”  

Earlier in the week, farmers saw the results of other partnerships that soybean growers have formed in the country. They visited a school that uses soy to feed hundreds of students soy beverages every day. The school’s principal noted that many students, due to Guatemala’s income disparity, often receive their largest intake of high-quality protein from the soymilk they drink each day.  

Ghana’s Poultry & Aquaculture Industries Show Promise for Trade  

Later in the month, WISHH invited growers on a trade mission to Ghana. The delegation observed how the poultry and aquaculture feed sectors as well as the food industry continue to grow into viable sectors for U.S. soy exports.  

Stops on the tour included a visit to Flosell Farms, a longtime WISHH partner in Ghana’s aquaculture sector, to formally sign memorandums of understanding between WISHH, Flosell Farms, and the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana. These agreements aim to accelerate the growth of aquaculture in Ghana by strengthening workforce development efforts and will, in turn, mean more customers for U.S. soy for fish feed.  

Growers also visited Ghanaian poultry farms, including Akate, the country’s second-largest layer farm, and FMB Farms, its fastest-growing poultry operation. WISHH collaborates with both companies to expand their operations and create more demand for high-quality soy for feed. FMB Farms, for example, remains a longtime partner of WISHH and has increased its growing capacity by 2,500% in the past five years. The farm’s leaders have expressed their commitment to importing and distributing U.S. soy to support FMB’s continued growth, explaining to the WISHH delegation the importance of its long-term partnership to create a win-win for both sides. 

Summing up the two trade missions, WISHH Executive Director Gena Perry noted how farmers continue to serve as brand ambassadors for the program abroad. The United Soybean Board supported both the trade mission to Ghana and the Global Food Security Dialogue in Guatemala.  

“On each trade team trip, farmers see WISHH’s quarter-century of impact firsthand,” explained Perry. “Likewise, it is important for our partners to hear from U.S. soybean growers—to not only learn more about the quality of the soy they grow, but also how they are key figures in developing partnerships with businesses overseas.”