MILL SHOALS — Although he has been in more than a dozen countries over several years, it’s not the wonders of China, Vietnam, France or Guatemala that keep Doug Winter getting on planes. It’s the people.
“The people always make the trip,” said the White County corn, soybean and wheat farmer. “I enjoy travel. I always know I’ll meet interesting people and learn things of value to me as a (United Soybean Board) director and as a farmer.”
Winter has traveled to about 15 different countries over the years. He just returned from his latest adventure in August, as part of the United Soybean Board’s (USB) See for Yourself tour of China and Vietnam to learn about U.S. soybean customers and the soy checkoff’s role in marketing.
One of the most interesting stops for Winter was in Vietnam, where they toured the Cai Mep Agricultural Port, which handles about half of all soybean meal imported into Vietnam. They also visited China, which uses roughly 25 percent of all U.S. soy products.
“The Chinese and East Asians put great value into face-to face relationships,” he said. “They like to meet the farmers who grow the grain they buy.”
Winter, who also visited other parts of China last September, notes China’s and Vietnam’s approaches to importing U.S. soybeans are quite different.
The Chinese are concerned about “losing face,” he said, and are careful about what they buy regarding quality and GMO content.
On the other hand, much of Vietnam is poor.
“They have to buy what they can afford,” Winter said. It is hard for the U.S., with its strong dollar, to compete for business there, he noted.
Some trips and people he will always remember in detail.
When he was an Illinois Soybean Association director, for example, he visited Nicaragua and Guatemala as part of the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program.
“It was one of the most eye-opening (trips). I thought I had seen poverty,” he said.
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