Major milestones for US soy in China

1977 — The American Soybean Association and Chinese agricultural authority carry out exchanges for the first time.

1982 — ASA opens an office in China with Terry Foley serving as director, and technical services of the livestock begin.

1991 — The United Soybean Board is established and more extensive programs are launched with check-off support, including the poultry technical program led by Shen Huile.

1993 — Rudolf Schmittou is appointed as aquaculture technical director, ramping up the aquaculture technical program to promote soybean products in aqua feed for economically-efficient and environmentally-friendly fish production.

1995 — The then Ministry of Agriculture of China, now called the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, presents Rudolf Schmittou the China Agriculture Cooperation Friendship Award for his significant contributions to the development of agriculture.

1998 — Bill Xiong is appointed as feed technical director and introduces new feed processing technologies for products, such as full-fat soybean meal, de-hulled soybean meal, and use of hulls in animal feed.

2007 — Designed to provide training in US food-grade soybean production system, the US Soybean Export Council initiates a soyfood program to provide technical and market services for the standardization and industrialization of China’s soyfood processing industry. This includes a conference, one-on-one seminars, tours and trade teams sent to the United States.

2012 — The US soybean industry celebrates 30 years of service in China’s agricultural economy in Beijing.

2014 — China becomes the first market of soybeans certified as sustainably produced by the US.

2016 — The US exports a total of 36 million metric tons of soybeans to China, hitting a new high.