ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program and the Iowa Soybean Association partnered with two Iowa soybean-growing farm families to host farm tours for top leaders of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations based in Rome. The farm visits demonstrated innovation of U.S. soy for quality feeds and animal health as well as other on-farm practices that promote soil health, energy efficiency and more.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, Ph.D. and Deputy Director Beth Bechdol, who grew up on an Indiana soybean farm, and other FAO staff visited the Bardole family of Rippey on Wednesday, October 21 while in Iowa for participation in the World Food Prize. Tim Bardole showcased how higher inclusion rates of U.S. soybean meal is boosting their pig’s health as well as air quality in hog barns thanks to Bardole’s adoption of Soy Checkoff research.
The FAO interest in the visit builds on FAO featuring WISHH in Rome in an official side event on quality feeds, which was part of WISHH’s United Soybean Board global food security project. WISHH Chairman Morey Hill, also an Iowa soybean farmer, described how he grows quality soybeans that support animal health in WISHH’s side event that also featured the American Feed Industry Association. “We U.S. soybean farmers also contribute to our soy checkoff that funds research, education and promotion,” said Hill. “The checkoff investments boost continuous improvement of our farming practices and much more.”
Iowa soybean farmer Rick Kimberley also hosted the FAO delegation where they witnessed how on-farm grain storage benefits the quality of U.S. soybean meal. Kimberley also described how they use precision technology.
The FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It has 194 member countries, including the United States. “WISHH’s work with FAO has elevated the profile of U.S. soy as a quality feed ingredient in the countries where WISHH works,” said WISHH Executive Director Gena Perry. “FAO has also opened doors for WISHH to strengthen our in-country relationships reaching from Cambodia to Nigeria to Uzbekistan.”