United Soybean Board Chair Steve Reinhard reinforced the value of strategic partnerships with the ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program last month. Reinhard, a soybean grower from Ohio, spoke at WISHH’s 2023 global food security dialogue at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and has since highlighted WISHH’s work during a media interview. WISHH’s dialogue convened dozens of international organizations, institutions, and businesses come together to discuss the value of soy protein for populations worldwide.
Reinhard reinforced the importance of WISHH’s international work that strengthens the value of U.S. soy. He also noted how WISHH’s work is complimentary to USB’s strategic plan.
“Today’s event is an example of how USB partners with ASA and WISHH. Partnerships are key to our USB strategic plan,” Reinhard said. “I am so pleased to meet with WISHH’s strategic partners who are here today in this room. We can build markets together that offer nutritious foods that are vital for global food security.”
Reinhard was one of the founding members of WISHH more than 20 years ago, and reminded attendees that WISHH continues to fulfill the role farmers intended.
“The state soybean checkoffs, including Ohio, were looking to the future and they saw from population growth trends that much of the population growth was going to occur outside of the United States,” Reinhard continued. “U.S. soy would be needed to help fill a protein gap and still not displace local farmers’ production.”
Later in the month, Reinhard also mentioned USB’s partnership with WISHH in an interview with Farm Week Now, particularly pointing out WISHH’s work in sub-Saharan Africa, where countries are responding to booming population increases.
As far as markets go,” Reinhard noted, “there is also great potential in African countries. WISHH is making better sources of protein available to people living in developing countries. The program helps improve food security there and allows for more opportunities to export U.S. soybeans.”
USB’s partnership with WISHH includes projects that support building the next generation of aquaculture specialists (and future soy trade partners) in sub-Saharan Africa, provide research to increase the amount of soy in foods, and lead discussions with global food security thought leaders to build even greater partnerships.