American Soybean Association (ASA) President Danny Murphy has confirmed 16 soybean growers from 11 states to ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) Committee in 2013-14. Keith Roberts of Ohio and Jack Trumbo of Kentucky are the newest additions to the WISHH farmer leadership team.

WISHH Committee Members reelected David Iverson of South Dakota as chair, Andy Welden of Michigan as vice chair, Illinois grower Dan Farney as treasurer, and Kansan Lucas Heinen as secretary. Additional WISHH Committee Members for 2013-14 are: Gary Berg (Ill.); Ron Bunjer (Minn.); Ryan Cahoon (N.C.); Dean Coleman (Iowa); Bret Davis (Ohio) Levi Huffman (Ind.); Mike Marron (Ill.); Monica McCranie (S.D.); Joe Murphy (Ill.), and Art Wosick (N.D.). United Soybean Board Director Mary Lou Smith (Mich.), and Drew Klein, representing the U.S. Soybean Export Council, serve as ex-officio members of the Committee. Murphy and Iverson thanked outgoing WISHH Committee Members Darrel McGriff (Ind.) and Randy Van Kooten (Iowa).

"ASA applauds these leaders who have recognized that U.S. soy markets are linked to the economic growth of developing countries," Murphy said.

"WISHH is blazing trails to bring the benefits of benefits of U.S. soy to Africa, Asia, Central America and more,” Murphy said. “U.S. soy is an affordable, available, nutritious and delicious protein solution for developing country diets.”

Chairman Iverson said, "WISHH is a leader through more than a decade of programs that span entire supply value chains for human foods as well as livestock and aquaculture feeds. U.S. soy improves the diets as well as economic opportunities in these countries."

Experts say that developing countries are the future of market demand for U.S. agriculture. Visiting Scholar at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Robert Thompson points out that of the billion additional mouths to be fed in the next 12 years, fewer than 5 percent of them will be in the high-income countries. The potential growth markets of the future are in the lower-income countries.

Importantly, income growth in developing countries is also on the rise. The middle class in developing countries is projected to increase by 160 percent by 2020 compared to just 15 percent in developed countries, according to analysis by Global Insight.

WISHH is a trade-development organization. Since U.S. soybean farmers founded WISHH in 2000, it has worked in 24 countries to improve diets, as well as encouraged growth of food industries. The WISHH program is managed from ASA’s world headquarters in St. Louis.  For more information, visit www.wishh.org.