ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER MARKET DEVELOPMENT Harvest stronger. The missions also provide market intelligence that can guide the future direction and priorities of participating organizations and the broader industry. “These missions help us deliver on our strategic plan objective to grow Ontario soybean exports,” says Dickerson. “Just as importantly, they provide valuable market intelligence. We learn how customers are using Ontario soybeans, how consumer preferences are changing, and which quality and sustainability attributes matter most to buyers.” While Soy Canada coordinates the national missions, bringing together growers, exporters, researchers, government representatives, and provincial partners, Grain Farmers of Ontario contributes Ontario-specific expertise. “Soy Canada is the national lead and primary touchpoint with international customers, and they act as the mission captain,” says Dickerson. “Grain Farmers of Ontario is a member of Soy Canada, and we support the mission by providing regional and specialist insights, involving our farmer-directors and helping to co-ordinate local logistics and demonstrations. It is a very collaborative process.” For Ontario farmers, the benefit of this work may not always be immediately visible, since international markets are built through many individual relationships over time. But according to Dickerson, there is still no substitute for seeing agriculture firsthand. “Customers can read about our production standards, quality assurance systems, and sustainability practices, but visiting farms, grain handling facilities, and research centres allows them to see those commitments in action,” she notes. Gallego says the goal is to leave buyers with confidence in the Canadian soybean industry. “We want visitors to leave confident that Canada is a reliable, innovative, and long-term soybean supplier,” he says. “Most importantly, we hope they develop stronger relationships with Canadian growers and exporters and see that our industry is prepared to listen, adapt, and meet their evolving needs.” For Ontario soybean growers, that is ultimately what these missions are about: keeping important markets connected to the farms that supply them. •
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