WASHINGTON, D.C., May 21, 2024 — The American Soybean Association, ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program, and the U.S. Soybean Export Council welcome the funding announced today as part of the initial tranche of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service’s Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). This new source of funding will be invested to facilitate diversification and growth of U.S. soybean exports, help meet growing global protein demand, and address nutrition and food security.

“ASA commends USDA for its commitment to strengthening U.S. agricultural trade by providing Commodity Credit Corporation funds through RAPP to maintain and develop markets and address global food security. We appreciate the work by Senator Stabenow, Senator Boozman, and Secretary Vilsack to initiate this much-needed program,” said ASA President Josh Gackle, a soybean grower from North Dakota. “New international markets are critical to sustaining U.S. soybean growers’ success. This program will open new opportunities while improving upon the success of other programs vital to U.S. soy, like MAP and FMD.”

“We applaud Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and USDA FAS for the creation of RAPP, a critically important and timely program that builds upon decades of success achieved with the Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program and most recently the Agricultural Trade Promotions Program,” said Lance Rezac, USSEC chair and Kansas farmer. “Current examples of innovative USSEC programs aimed at diversifying markets and growing exports include the Soy Excellence Center and the Right to Protein campaign. The USSEC team is excited to build on these successes and bring to life the creative program concepts included in our RAPP funding proposal.”

“Trade promotion programs are vital to soy growers,” said WISHH Chair Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare. “Utilizing MAP, FMD, and ATP funds, WISHH has successfully leveraged those dollars to increase market access, address technical barriers to entry, and create on-the-ground capacity and demand for U.S. soy. Through RAPP, WISHH looks to expand the Training Program for Young Professionals, a hands-on capacity building program for youth and young professionals, in addition to expanding the program and scope in Ghana and Nigeria. We will also invest in expanding U.S. soy’s presence in Central Asia and throughout sub-Saharan Africa. WISHH looks forward to the new opportunities this funding will create for ASA’s WISHH to invest in developing and emerging markets and appreciate the support of USDA FAS and Secretary Vilsack.”

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About American Soybean Association: ASA represents U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international policy issues important to the soybean industry. ASA has 26 affiliated state associations representing 30 soybean-producing states and more than 500,000 soybean farmers. More information at soygrowers.com.

About WISHH: ASA/WISHH connects trade and development across global market systems, improving food security. Knowing that protein plays an essential role in human nutrition, visionary U.S. soybean growers founded WISHH in 2000 to serve as a catalyst in emerging markets. WISHH brings the power of strategic partnerships to our unique market-systems approach. Local business leaders, non-governmental organizations as well as academic institutions join us in increasing demand and fueling economic growth for the sustained availability of nutritious and affordable human foods and livestock feeds. WISHH is a program of the American Soybean Association and is funded in part by the United Soybean Board and state soybean board checkoff programs. USB’s vision is to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day.

About U.S. Soybean Export Council: The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) is devoted to building preference, improving the value, and enabling market access for the use of U.S. Soy for human consumption, aquaculture, and livestock feed in 82 countries across the world. USSEC is a dynamic partnership of U.S. soybean producers, processors, commodity shippers, merchandisers, allied agribusinesses, and agricultural organizations; and connects food and agriculture industry leaders through a robust membership program. USSEC is farmer-funded by checkoff funds invested by USB, various state soybean councils, the food and agriculture industry, and ASA’s investment of cost-share funding provided by USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Visit ussoy.org and ussec.org, and engage with us on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to learn more.