Soybean farmers should support number one customer
A representative of the US soybean industry has said that soybean farmers should support the US poultry and livestock industry as its number one customer, as improvements in poultry exports ultimately benefit the soybean industry as well.
His comments came as a recently completed study showed the value of US meat and poultry exports to soybean producers.
Livestock and poultry producers buy the majority of US soybean meal, and meat exports continue to rise.
The study shows that as populations grow and attain greater wealth, more people add meat-based protein to their diets. A growing world population and more disposable income for some groups around the globe represent opportunities for US livestock and poultry to benefit.
In 2005, chickens destined for export consumed soybean meal from about 81 million bushels of soybeans, and turkeys consumed another 10 million bushels worth.
“US livestock and poultry represent the number one market for US soybean meal, so what’s good for meat exports tends to be good for soybean farmers,” says Phil Bradshaw, chair of the United Soybean Board’s Animal Agriculture Initiative Leadership Team.
“It’s important for soybean farmers to support the domestic poultry and livestock industries in every way we can,” says Bradshaw. “That means helping to avoid diseases like avian influenza, but also showing support to our local poultry and livestock farmers, as they represent our number one customer.”
For more information, see the full study, titled “The Value of US Meat and Poultry Exports to US Soybean Producers through 2015â€.
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