The New NCI-INTSOY Course Successfully Promotes Northern Grown Soybeans to International Participants
During the week of June 5-10, 2017, Northern Crops Institute (NCI) hosted international participants sponsored in part by USSEC, WISHH, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, North Dakota Soybean Council and the South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council.
Twenty-four participants from 10 different countries participated in the successful 2017 NCI-INTSOY course during June 5-10.
The participants heard various speakers, watched demonstrations and had the opportunity for hands-on labs in various locations throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. There were a number of tours throughout the tri-state area and there was a visit to soybean producer Kyle Raguse’s farm near Wheaton, Minnesota. NCI staff accompanied the lectures, demonstrations and tours to answer questions from both participants and media.
The NCI-INTSOY course educated participants on practical processing methods and innovative applications of soybean ingredients in meat, beverage, baking, snacks, traditional soy foods and animal feed products.
Samuel Adu Ntim, CEO of Yedent Agro Group of Companies Limited (Ghana) was one of 24 participants at the 2017 NCI-INTSOY course.
According to WISHH, participants praised the NCI-INTSOY course because of the great effort and collaboration to increase knowledge of U.S. Soy and by making crucial introductions to U.S. soybean producers and companies. 2017 NCI-INTSOY participant Samuel Adu Ntim, chief executive officer of Yedent Agro Group of Companies Limited in Ghana, was extremely happy with his experience, “It (NCI-INTSOY) is a phenomenal program that I think a lot of companies and entrepreneurs and a lot of people in emerging markets should try to access. It is an excellent partnership, and we give thanks to WISHH (and other sponsors) for this opportunity,” Adu Ntim said.
NCI Director Mark Weber celebrated the success of the course by thanking speakers, sponsors and staff for, “delivering a top notch soy program that is sure to be the next flagship course for the NCI.” Weber also declared that, “the NCI-INTSOY course truly illustrates why NCI exists and that is to continue to provide quality educational and technical programming to expand international markets for our northern-grown crops.”
Due to the positive feedback from participants, sponsors and staff, the NCI has begun the process of assembling the NCI-INTSOY course programming for 2018. The scheduled date for the 2018 NCI-INTSOY will be Monday, August 27 through Friday, September 1.
