ASA WISHH’s Commodity Classic panel highlighted U.S. soy’s export opportunities in global food security, while tapping into the timely topic of how U.S. soy contributes to America’s diplomacy with other countries. WISHH Program Committee Chair and ASA Director Gerry Hayden (KY) and WISHH Executive Director Gena Perry joined experts from the soy value chain for global food security at WISHH’s March 10 panel discussion. WISHH also premiered its new video The Power of Protein: U.S. Soybean Growers Take Action for Global Food Security at the USB-funded event.

Edesia Nutrition Executive Director Maria Kasparian shared how the enterprise uses only U.S. soy flour to manufacture its high-protein food packets that are distributed in more than 60 countries. Edesia forecasts it will use 7.5 million pounds of soy flour this year, requiring the equivalent of 170,000 bushels of soybeans. Other speakers included World Food Program (WFP) USA Chief Engagement Officer Rebecca Middleton. WFP is globally recognized for their life-saving distribution of food, including currently in Ukraine. Tiger Soy and SEMO Milling Commercial Manager Adam Thomas described how the Tiger Soy processing plant in Mexico, Missouri was built to meet the demand for soy flour in U.S. global food security programs.

Thomas, Middleton and Kasparian all described how food security is tied to national security, and how programs, such as Public Law 480, purchase U.S. soy-containing food products in an act of U.S. diplomacy. The U.S. government has mandated the use of U.S. commodities in the historic P.L. 480 program since its creation after World War II. The three WISHH panel speakers stressed the important role U.S. farmers have in growing crops that meet the high-quality requirements for these foods to remain safe for people to eat months after they are shipped from the United States.

Hayden and Perry shared how WISHH connects trade and development, which improves food security in the regions where WISHH works. USB is also supporting WISHH’s exploration of partnerships, including for global food security, that contribute to the USB vision of partner to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day.