ASA president Wade Cowan (far left) welcomes IOPD participants.

U.S. soy leaders joined oilseed grower representatives from around the world this week in Chicago, Ill. to discuss the freedom to operate issues producers are facing and how they can work together to address those issues.

The annual International Oilseed Producers Dialogue (IOPD) meeting, hosted by the U.S. soy family, was held in the United States for the first time in six years and welcomed participants from 11 major oilseed producing countries spanning North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Malaysia.

American Soybean Association (ASA) President Wade Cowan and United Soybean Board (USB) chair Bob Haselwood co-chaired the meeting that was organized by ASA's and USB's implementor of international marketing programs -- the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC).

Oilseed producers worldwide face some common issues that challenge their ability to produce healthy, affordable food and be successful. These include communicating effectively with consumers and policy makers about today's agriculture, restrictions on the use of crop protection products, slow approvals in major export markets for new varieties enhanced through biotechnology, and changing biofuel standards to name just a few.

Featured speakers included, Charlie Arnot from the Center for Food Integrity, Richard Jackson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Nancy Kavazanjian from the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) and David Hightower of The Hightower Report.

An International Soy Grower Alliance (ISGA) meeting was held prior to and in conjunction with IOPD XVIII.  ISGA is an alliance of soybean-producing countries that account for over 90 percent of world soybean production and trade.  ISGA includes soybean producer organizations from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Canada.  ISGA discussions focused on working to obtain more timely approvals of new biotech soybean varieties in key markets, including China and the European Union.