SITUATION
Soy is an important component in many different consumer products, especially consumer packaged goods (CPGs) and in many cases offers a sustainable alternative. However, there is often a disconnect between decision makers at CPG companies and farmers and commodity organizations. CPGs are looking for sustainable ingredients for their products, but they don’t always have the information they need to be fully informed about the benefits of sustainable soybean production practices and soybean uses.
SOLUTION
We created an event, Gather Around the Table, to bring together CPG companies, current and potential partners, Illinois farmers and Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) staff members. Our goal was to share the benefits of soybeans as a food ingredient and protein source in animal feed and current sustainable soybean production practices. It also gave ISA and its farmers an opportunity to share more about soybean sustainability and highlight ISA as a valued and trusted source for information about soybeans.
RESULTS
According to the post-event survey respondents:
- 69% were very familiar with Illinois soybean farmers’ sustainable production practices after attending the event, compared to 32% in the pre-event survey
- 63% were very interested in partnering with organizations like ISA that share their commitment to sustainability and reducing environmental impact
- 94% would recommend the Gather Around the Table event to a colleague or friend who had a role in sustainability
