NEW YORK CITY — The American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program and the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand collaboration on developing U.S. soy value chains to advance trade between the United States and Uzbekistan.
Signed amid the trade delegation visit led by Mr. Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan to New York City, the agreement provides the groundwork for a commitment to improving food security, strengthening private-sector capacity, and building connections between Uzbek buyers and U.S. soy suppliers. The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation in areas such as animal feed, poultry, dairy, and aquaculture productivity, soy processing technology, quality standards, and nutrition innovation.
“This agreement is an important milestone for U.S. soy in Uzbekistan,” said Stephen Censky, CEO of the American Soybean Association. “The MoU between WISHH and our new trade partners will continue to open new doors for U.S. soy in the Trans-Caspian region and create even more opportunities that benefit farmers and consumers.”
The signing builds upon WISHH’s expanding leadership role across Central Asia amid its Trans-Caspian strategy, developed to strengthen feed and food systems backed by U.S. soy across the region. It also follows a late October visit from the Uzbek delegation to the ASA/WISHH offices in St. Louis. Gena Perry, Executive Director of WISHH, and WISHH’s Asia Division met with the trade team to discuss the buying of U.S. soy and expanded WISHH activities in the country.
“Uzbekistan is emerging as a key partner in our Trans-Caspian strategy and a strategic gateway for U.S. soy in Central Asia,” said Perry. “This agreement formalizes years of relationship-building and sets the stage for new trade opportunities that benefit both the Uzbek economy and U.S. soybean growers.”
WISHH’s collaboration with Uzbekistan is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service through its Market Access, Foreign Market Development, and Regional Agricultural Promotion programs. It also complements WISHH’s ongoing partnerships with the U.S. Soybean Export Council and the United Soybean Board.
WISHH is building off the work and will collaborate with the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, which was an early investor in promoting U.S. soy in Uzbekistan. MSR&PC’s early investments helped lay the groundwork for this milestone partnership that connects U.S. soy to new regional feed and food industries.