BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Around 60 percent of soybeans grown by Illinois farmers are destined for export markets. The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has developed a new resource that illustrates how their journey plays out.

ISA’s new Interactive Trade and Export Journey Map allows farmers and buyers to follow their soybeans’ journey from farm to market, showcasing the different transportation avenues Illinois soy can take once it leaves the farm. The map also shows how soybeans ultimately arrive at destinations such as domestic crush facilities or international export markets.

“Exports are very important to our Illinois farmers, and that’s why it became a focus of mine as (ISA) trade and exports manager to make sure our farmers and our exporters know exactly where our soybeans are going on the journey to their final destinations,” said ISA’s Eileen Urish, who hosted a recent webinar to launch the new map and update Illinois growers on checkoff-led soybean promotion efforts.

Scott Gaffner, ISA marketing and development committee chair, said the interactive map serves as the next best thing to bringing potential soybean buyers to his farm, which isn’t always possible. “We want to bring as many people to see our farms as we can, but for those who cannot see our farms, Eileen has developed a great opportunity to use a computer or device to see just what Illinois has to offer,” Gaffner said, pointing to Illinois farmers’ immediate proximity to multiple modes of transportation including rail, road and river as advantageous to shippers and importers.

“We’re always looking for different opportunities within the global market in order to be proactive in helping to make our 43,000 soybean farmers more profitable,” added Gaffner, who farms in Greenville, Ill.

According to ISA director of communications Rachel Peabody, ISA personnel will continuously update the map to better track the journey of Illinois soybeans. “The outcome we want is for Illinois soybean growers to be more aware of who their international buyers are, where their soybeans are going and what markets they are feeding. We want them to be able to list and name these (markets) in order to form better relationships with the buyers they have. It’s important to us that (growers) feel they are invested in that story,” Peabody said.

In addition to the map, ISA has produced trade booklets geared toward international buyers that feature the benefits of Illinois-grown soybeans. The booklets illustrate the consistent quality, reliable supply and sustainable production of Illinois soybeans, along with Illinois’ efficient transportation systems to move soybeans from the farm to buyers around the globe. According to an ISA news release, the trade booklets are available in multiple languages for the convenience of diverse international buyers of Illinois soybeans.

Visit ISA’s website, ilsoy.org, to view the interactive map.