Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) Chair Tom Frisch had the opportunity to give a firsthand perspective on this year’s soybean crop to buyers in Japan and Korea.  

Representing the United Soybean Board (USB), Frisch participated in a panel session during the U.S. Soybean Export Council’s 2024 U.S. Buyers Outlook Conference held Nov. 12-13 in Tokyo, Japan, and Nov. 14-15 in Seoul, Korea.  

Those participating in the two conferences included crushers, feed mill operators, soy food processors and soybean buyers from their respective countries. Frisch was joined by American Soybean Association (ASA) Director Charles Atkinson from Kansas to showcase their efforts toward sustainability and a quality, food-grade soybean. Minnesota is the nation’s top producer of food-grade soybeans.  

“Both the buyers from Japan and Korea care a lot about quality and that the beans they are purchasing are grown in a sustainable way, and us as farmers, we take a lot of pride producing that for them as well,” said Frisch, who grows natto soybeans on his farm in Dumont. “It was nice to be able to go over with them our various sustainable growing practices.” 

While the Japanese and Korean buyers both care for quality, where they may differ is in their markets. While Japan’s interest in U.S. grown soybeans is primarily for food items such as tofu and natto, Korea has high interest in high-oleic soybean oil for frying.  

“They asked a lot of questions about high-oleic cooking oil, which provides a more neutral taste, longer shelf life and overall exceptional frying capabilities,” Frisch said. “At both the state and national level, the soybean checkoff is greatly invested in producing more high oleic soybeans and growing that market.” 

While the trip abroad provides an opportunity to meet with the buyers of U.S. food grade soybeans, the connection was more personal for Frisch following the panel in Japan. 

“I met with the folks who were buying soybeans that come from our farm,” he said. “It’s a pretty special opportunity to put a face to the name, and for them I’m sure they felt the same, to meet the person growing their product.”  

Although not joining Frisch and Atkinson overseas, Seth Naeve, University of Minnesota Extension soybean agronomist, also participated in the panel discussion via Zoom to provide insight on soybean crop quality and steps taken by producers to ensure their buyers are getting a clean bean.