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| States Launch Effort To Support ASA’s $1 Billion Purchase & Donation
Program Twelve Midwest state soybean organizations have joined together to encourage
soybean farmers to sign and send postcards to USDA Secretary Dan Glickman during
August to encourage him to approve a $1 billion concessional sales and donation program
for soybeans and soy products. The transactions would be implemented through Private
Volunteer Organizations (PVOs) to help feed the hungry in developing countries. "This
humanitarian plan was first formulated by ASA last March as a short-term solution to low
prices," said ASA Chairman Mike Yost. "Through this program, we could
introduce soy products to parts of the world that have never even seen a soybean before,
and disseminate a high-quality, low-cost protein source to the poorest areas of the
world." ASA is working with the National Oilseed Processors Association and private
processors to include such non-traditional products as textured vegetable protein, soy
isolates and concentrates that can be easily incorporated into high-protein diets in
India, Indonesia, Columbia and other Latin American and African countries. Ellen
Levinson, Executive Director, Coalition for Food Aid, said, "This is a positive
way to marry ASA and their affiliates’ expertise with private volunteer organization
activities." Kirk Leeds, Executive Director, Iowa Soybean Association, agrees,
adding that the project is also a good example of the synergy between soybean association
members and soybean checkoff boards. |
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