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WISHH Trade Team Builds Soy-Use Knowledge

Aug 23, 2018

(From left to right) Colton Gillespie and Thae Ei Phyu, business development manager for BioNutrient Systems in Myanmar, on top of the combine at the Scott Gillespie farm in Minnesota. The Gillespie family hosted the entire INTSOY course participants at their farm.

The American Soybean Association’s (ASA) World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) sent 11 trade team participants to attend the 2018 Northern Crops Institute (NCI) INTSOY course in Fargo, N.D.

The WISHH team consisted of participants from the Africa region, representing Senegal and Ghana, and the Asia region, representing Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The team includes business and Non-Government Organization (NGO) representatives that are currently using soy to produce foods such as tofu, soy milk, and porridge mixes; some visitors are also experimenting with soy as a new ingredient in locally processed foods.

The INTSOY course builds a strong foundational knowledge of soy uses in food and feed, and introduces participants to innovative applications that highlight the nutritional and functional properties of soy. NCI staff arranged a variety of class room style lectures, industry meetings, and practical demonstrations to provide a well-rounded experience to INTSOY participants. WISHH staff Alan F. Poock, Asia division director and Chris Slemp, Africa program manager, escorted the team.

The WISHH team’s participation was funded by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council,  the USDA‘s Market Access Program (MAP) and Emerging Markets Program (EMP).