School meal leaders responsible for planning meals for at least 3.8 million children in Africa and Central America connect with U.S. soy industry exporters.

Participants in ASA/WISHH’s Affordable Protein Supply: Solving the Institutional Meals Puzzle Workshop foresee increased trade with the United States as a result of WISHH’s event. WISHH convened the Indiana Soybean Alliance-supported Workshop at Purdue University in August and participant survey results are in, showing potential for increased inclusion of U.S. soy in institutional meals abroad. The Workshop attracted African and Central American food companies, government officials and nongovernmental organizations, including participants of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cochran Fellowship Program. Collectively, these school meal leaders are responsible for planning meals for at least 3.8 million children.

Attendees reported the training facilitated beneficial connections to a wide array of experts in nutrition, food technology, biotechnology, school meals, and U.S. farmers.  According to survey responses, 96 percent of attendees reported learning new information about soy processing and its applications in the food industry; 62 percent are committed to further research and development related to the inclusion of soy as an ingredient in their product lines; and 100 percent of participants believe that soy is a quality protein product that can help deliver much-needed nutrition to consumers.

ASA/WISHH staff continues to work with workshop participants to assist them in incorporating U.S. soy into their programs and company plans.

In addition to the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Workshop sponsors included DuPont Nutrition & Health, Insta-Pro International, U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, and Zeeland Farm Services, Inc.