In the wide world of advocacy, one meeting often leads to another. 

In September 2024, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) Executive Director Joe Smentek and Kim Nill, director of Market Development with the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC), visited with a dozen Uzbekistan trade and agriculture leaders at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture headquarters in St. Paul. A few days later, Smentek and MSGA directors met with the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. 

“When we’re in D.C., we’re doing a lot more than just meeting with legislators,” Smentek said. “We’re visiting federal agencies, embassies and building relationships with trade partners.” 

Following the visit to the nation’s capital, Smentek was invited to New York City to participate alongside banking and shipping leaders in further discussions as part of a U.S.-Uzbekistan Business Dialogue roundtable. Uzbekistan officials, including its foreign affairs minister, were in New York City as part of the United Nations General Assembly. Smentek also engaged with Ambassador Furqat Sidiqov.  

“While our growers were back home tending to harvest, it was a big deal and an honor to have a seat at the table representing Minnesota soybean farmers,” Smentek said. “It says a lot about our efforts to find new markets that we were invited.” 

Coming on the heels of a second shipment of U.S. soymeal to Uzbekistan, Smentek said Uzbekistan reported a growing demand for U.S. ag products. Due to Uzbekistan’s dry climate, the Central Asian country is in position to continue importing U.S. soy in the years ahead.  

“The meeting went very well. They’re very excited and interested in what we’re doing,” Smentek said. “They had a lot of questions about growing soybeans and they’re very happy with the cooperation of our farmers and our tech transfer knowledge and the quality of our soymeal.”  

Smentek also promoted the benefits of exporting U.S. soybeans via the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system, a priority shared by both MSGA and MSR&PC. During the meeting, U.S. and Uzbekistan leaders also found common ground in a mutual need for diversifying trade partners.  

“We’re trying to find new markets in Central Asia and right now, they’re also dependent on China,” Smentek said. “There’s definitely an opportunity for us to help each other.” 

While MSGA has advocated for opening new markets and trade routes, for the past several years MSR&PC has invested soy checkoff dollars in projects in Uzbekistan to identify the country’s increasing need for U.S. soy. MSR&PC leaders have visited Uzbekistan multiple times, and in 2023 Chair Tom Frisch and CEO Tom Slunecka visited the Uzbekistan Embassy in Washington, D.C. The soy checkoff also commissioned a feasibility study that focused on the viability of a soymeal crush facility capable of crushing 4,000 tons per day, along with future development of livestock facilities in Uzbekistan.  

“These meetings that we’re having illustrate the importance of MSR&PC and MSGA working together to build relationships with Uzbekistan’s government and see a soy crush plant come to fruition,” Nill said. 

Upon departing, the Uzbekistan team invited Minnesota Soybean to return to their country. In the earlier meeting back in St. Paul, Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen expressed an interest in visiting the country with MDA. Minnesota Soybean is also collaborating with USDA to promote greater trade with Uzbekistan.  

“They had a lot of follow-up questions, so we hope to visit with them again, either in D.C or Uzbekistan,” Smentek said. “There’s a lot of potential for Minnesota soybeans in Uzbekistan.”