A26—Lancaster Fannins, Saturday, February 9,1980 ST. LOUIS, Mo. Japan, the largest single customer for American soybeans, annually imports 5932 million worth of soybeans and soybean products or the equivalent to every eighth row of soybeans grown in the United States. “We expect Japan’s soybean demand to increase one percent in 1980,” says Ken Bader, chief executive officer of the American Soybean Association. “With a four million metric tonne market, a one percent increase means Japan needs to import an additional 1.5 million bushels. ASA has been conducting market development activities in Japan since 1956.1 think this huge market demonstrates Grain executive presets ‘dangerous times FARGO, N.D. - U.S. agricultural policy faces a major identity crisis as a result of the Soviet gram embargo, a commodity export executive said here Monday. Richard J. Goodman, vice president-government rela tions, Continental Gram Company, told the Fargo Farm Forum that “the tune ahead is dangerous.” According to Goodman, “if the embargo does not ad vance established foreign policy objectives, there will be those who say that the export controls were not broad enough.” On the other hand, he continued, “If the embargo is deemed effective, then its further use as an instrument of foreign policy will be most inviting.” Goodman observed if the embargo does not result in a “serious shorting of the Soviet gram supply” then it will obviously not have been worthwhile Even if the embargo is partially effective, he went on, “the question will still remain whether - of the range of options available to the administration - a gram and oilseed embargo was the necessary choice.” Goodman noted the blurred market picture as a result of the embargo: “carryovers projected for both wheat and feedgrams at the end of this marketing year have increased.” Japan leads soybean imports the tremendous benefits resulting from market development programs funded through the state soybean grower investment checkoffs.” Bader reports the ASA Market Development staff based in Tokyo is con centrating in three areas m 1980: animal nutrition, human nutrition and soy oil. Activities in these areas include seminars by U.S. technical consultants, U.S. visits by Japanese trade teams, translation of technical literature, feeding trials, participating in trade teams, hosting special conferences and product promotion. “Our overseas staff in Japan and nine other And over the past few weeks, he explained, the • outlook has changed from full free production to one of the possible acreages diversion this year and set aside requirements next year and beyond. “The possibility of such production controls will increase if importing countries react to the gram embargo by stepping up protection and capitalization of their domestic agriculture for greater self-sufficiency. “The problem is further compounded if other ex porting nations gam trade advantages as a result of the grain embargo, ” he said. Goodman acknowledged the entry of the federal government mto the gram business once more through recent actions by the Com modity Credit Corporation on wheat and com. “We must reconcile ourselves to this fact and recognize that m these circumstances the CCC can control market prices, if farmers elect not to sell I^l write SHOWING ■CTTEH country offices are well aware of 1979’s record 2.24 billion bushel crop,” Bader says. “All are actively involved in market development activities to create additional worldwide demand for U.S. soybeans and soybean products. In his most recent activitiy report, ASA-Asia Director Gil Griffis asked me to share some of this fall’s market development work con ducted by the Tokyo staff.” A Tokyo staff member escorted eight executives of the meal department of the Japanese Oil Processors Association on a U.S. study mission. The JOPA team studied U.S. soybean and soybean meal production and had an opportunity to ahead 9 grain stocks at release or call levels of the farmer-held reserve.” He added the CCC will be able to sell for export on a government-to-government basis such stocks, when it chooses, should such sales be perceived as furthering the nation’s foreign pohcy ob jectives. Looking to the future, Goodman said debate over the further role of the federal government in agriculture should come to a head later m the year. “Once the idea becomes widespread that agriculture is not only a key economic asset but one which can be manipulated for foreign pohcy or domestic con siderations, we will then face the overriding question of who is going to run what in agriculture and for what purpose.” see first hand how soybean meal helps mcrease yields in livestock and poultry. ASA sponsored a six member Yamagata TV film crew trip to the U.S The crew filmed U.S. agriculture and soybean production toi a television special to be shown m Japan. ASA and the Soy Sauce Brewers Association jointly sponsored a soy sauce seminar that was attended by 180 consumer and women’s group leaders. The seminar provided in formation on production, grading and new uses for this traditional food. This is the first in a series of seven soy sauce seminars to be held in 1980. ASA’s booth at the 1979 Japan Catering Show drew more than 10,000 visitors. The visitors received samples of pure soy milk and soy milk mixed with coffee, strawberry, mandarin orange, pineapple and vegetables. The visitors included food distributors, nutritionists and food ser vice representatives. Associate Country Director for Human Nutrition Yosiko Kojima, who has worked for soybean growers for 23 years, directed two human nutrition seminars. More than 220 school lunch nutritionists, chefs, teachers and government officials attended her soy protein lunch seminar. Another 300,000 persons watched the seminar over three television stations. More than 275 school lunch nutritionists, teachers and government officials at tended three ASA soy oil school lunch seminars. ASA-Tokyo staff escorted three other trade teams to the U.S A 25-member team of dairy specialists studied American dairy management practices with an emphasis on the value of soybean meal as a means of increasing yield. An 18-member Soybean Study Team traveled to the U.S. to determine America’s ability to meet Japan’s present and future requirements for soybeans. A 37-member team of swme specialists visited the U.S. to study swme management practices with an emphasis on the use of soybean meal as a feed ingredient Karl Sera, associate country director for animal nutrition, presented two programs on protein sup plements over Japan’s educational television network. Thousands of Japanese producers wat ched his two 30-mmute programs. “These market development activities in Japan, and more than 150 other activities m 75 other countries, have helped ex pand worldwide demand for U.S.-produced soybeans,” Bader says. “We now export more soybeans than we grew in 1968.” “These market development activities are the direct result of the half cent or one cent checkoff invested by nearly 500,000 soybean growers in 21 states,” he said USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service adds another $2.8 million for market development projects The end result is greater demand for U.S. soybeans, better profits for American soybean growers and a $8 billion addition tdf the U.S. economy.
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