International visits, learning back in action

Kansas Soybean provides numerous learning opportunities about soybeans

A group of soybean buyers from South Asia visited Kansas in May. The International Grains Program Institute in Manhattan hosted the group with individuals from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for a week of trainings and tours to explore crop production and processing in the U.S.

The team visited Kansas Soybean Commissioner Lance Rezac May 18 for a firsthand look at soybeans, corn and wheat fields, as well as a cattle feedlot and grain storage system. Guy H. Allen with IGP Institute and Deeba Giannoulis, a Dubai-based marketing coordinator with the U.S. Soybean Export Council, accompanied the group.

“Many of the participants have limited knowledge of how U.S. soybeans are grown and many are curious about the sustainability practices,” Giannoulis shares. “They are keen on purchasing U.S. soybeans and being in Kansas provided a lot of insight on farming practices. They’re learning about the technology used on farmlands, and how things are processed.”

Following the farm tour, the group visited the Kansas Soybean office for an in-depth explanation of KSC’s role in international market development, renewable fuels, animal agriculture and more.

The group represented feed mill operators, farmers, government officials. Participants expressed interest in farming efficiency, how elevators work, how soybeans are extruded.

“They’re looking to model practices from the U.S. and optimize their own practices and technology,” Giannoulis says.