After 20 years, promoting U.S. Soy around the world is USSEC’s focus 

By Jim Sutter, CEO, U.S. Soybean Export Council 

For the past 20 years, the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) has worked on behalf of Indiana and all U.S. Soy farmers to increase global demand for our soybean products. We focus on differentiating the quality and value of U.S. Soy, elevating customer preference and attaining market access around the world. Investments from the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) have been integral to this work. 

Though USSEC has reached its 20th anniversary, our team’s work builds upon more than a half century of U.S. Soy’s partnership and collaboration in the global marketplace. U.S. Soy leaders have long had the foresight and vision to develop these markets. USSEC stands on their shoulders and the solid foundation they built. 

USSEC works in countries representing 98 percent of both the value and volume of U.S. Soy exports. Since 1962, U.S. Soy products have led U.S. agricultural exports. In the last marketing year, U.S. Soy exports — whole soybeans, soybean meal, soybean oil and other soy products — totaled 60.8 million metric tons valued at $31.2 billion. That includes roughly 50 percent of Indiana’s soybean production. 

“USSEC is the boots on the ground in countries where we sell Indiana soybeans,” said Mike Koehne, who farms near Greensburg, Ind., and serves as a director for USSEC and ISA. “USSEC has built relationships that allow us as Indiana farmers to connect with customers and get involved in growing our markets.” 

Rooted in collaboration 

Farmer leaders from the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board created USSEC to capitalize on the strengths of each group’s work on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers. 

For years, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service held up the American Soybean Association’s export strategy as the model it encouraged other commodity organizations to follow for investing government export assistance funds. At the same time, the United Soybean Board managed soy checkoff investments directly from farmers. 

Creating USSEC combined the funding and expertise of both organizations. As a membership organization, USSEC also added collaboration between processors, exporters, shippers and other links in the soy supply chain. 

USSEC has grown from 50 members in year one to 117 members, including exporters from the largest companies to small boutique shops. Many of our members claim USSEC is the best trade association they belong to because of the services and collaboration we provide. 

Long-term investments in success 

Cultivating consumer preference and growing export markets takes time. I want to share just a few examples of how Indiana farmers experience the return on more than 20 years of U.S. Soy export investments. 

Forty years ago, U.S. Soy identified a need to diversify beyond larger, established markets and launched a strategic effort in China, which at the time was an exporter of soy. U.S. Soy played a pivotal role in rebuilding China’s feed, poultry and swine industries. As China’s economy expanded, so did its demand for animal protein, ultimately making it the largest market for U.S. Soy. Today, that same spirit of market diversification continues, with countries like Nigeria serving as an example of this evolving strategy. 

U.S. Soy played a similar role in modernizing India’s feed and poultry industry. With improvement within India, the country shifted from exporting soybean meal to using their production domestically. In turn, without Indian exports to depend on, countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh have established soybean crushing industries and now import U.S. Soy. 

This exemplifies the ripple effects of soybean farmer investments that don’t show up in export volumes immediately, but they create new markets through time. 

USSEC also has become a leading voice in the aquaculture industry, thanks to introducing in-pond raceway system technology and demonstrating the value of U.S. Soy in aquafeed. We have shown the industry that fish will thrive on soy. China alone has gone from using zero soybean meal in aquaculture diets in 1992 to more than 15 million metric tons today. 

For years, Indiana has been hosting participants from USSEC’s Soybean Oil Masters program annually. 

“We take them on farm and industry tours, and they learn about high oleic soybean oil from farmers and industry experts,” Koehne said. “Indiana is a leader in high oleic soybean production, so making connections and building relationships benefits Indiana farmers and customers.” 

Koehne raises high oleic soybeans, and he has participated in farmer panels for Soybean Oil Masters programs in Indianapolis, Korea and Japan, in addition to hosting a farm tour for those visiting Indiana. 

“At other USSEC events I’ve attended, like Soy Connext, customers who remember me from Soybean Oil Masters come talk to me,” he added. “Those relationships lead to demand for our products.” 

Marketing Sustainable U.S. Soy 

The development of the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) is one of USSEC’s most impactful efforts. The in-depth protocol verifies the sustainability of U.S. Soy, differentiating it for global markets. 

We spent at least two or three years doing the necessary research to create the protocol. When it was first introduced in 2013, customers were tired of hearing our team talk about sustainability. 

Today, customers ask members of the USSEC team how they can incorporate even more of our sustainability efforts into their marketing. 

To support such requests, USSEC launched the Sustainable U.S. Soy and Fed with Sustainable U.S. Soy labels that can be used on packaging for products that source SSAP-verified U.S. Soy. In 2025, more than 71 percent of U.S. Soy exports carry SSAP certificates, including 99 percent of European exports, 93 percent of exports to Japan and Korea, and two-thirds of exports to China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. 

The Sustainable U.S. Soy and Fed with Sustainable U.S. Soy labels appear on more than 1,120 products from 123 companies. 

Navigating changing markets 

As consumer preferences and global politics shift, and soybean production competition intensifies, USSEC continues to do what it has been doing: Differentiating the high quality and reliable supply of U.S. Soy to international customers. 

We’ve been gathering science that shows the value of the U.S. Soy investment. We have data to support the impact of good quality versus poor quality soy protein. Sharing this science and providing technical support adds to the differentiation of U.S. Soy. 

Through the Soy Excellence Center (SEC), USSEC trains early- and mid-career professionals in key protein sectors like feed, aquaculture, poultry, swine and soy food production with practical training and industry knowledge. The SEC’s hybrid platform combines online coursework with live sessions, allowing trainees to interact directly with subject matter experts. Indiana soybean farmers have supported the SEC since its inception, helping make this global impact possible. 

We feel confident that we are creating future ambassadors for U.S. Soy in key industries. 

Looking ahead 

I believe U.S. Soy is well positioned to take advantage of the world’s growing population and economy, creating opportunity for Indiana soybean farmers. With 20 years of experience, USSEC will continue to work on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers and members to promote U.S. Soy around the world. 

At a time when soybean demand is projected to increase globally, U.S. Soy’s decades of work has positioned it as the world leader in soybean quality, reliability, sustainability and economic value. 

Our partnership with Indiana Soybean Alliance has and will continue to play a vital role in U.S. Soy export growth for the next 20 years and beyond.