Fried, frozen or fresh, Philip Good has never taken for granted the catfish produced on his family’s fifth-generation farm in Mississippi - a perspective flipped as he played host to a Nigerian trade mission.  

His new friends explained that to be able to have the same high quality, protein-filled eating experience Good’s grandchildren enjoy, the fish grown in Nigeria needed to be larger and smoked, to combat the lack of refrigeration.  

“That was something that really hit home to me. I can't comprehend taking that much time daily to go and get your food, where we have so much at our fingertips,” Good said. “But to hear it explained to me - why they like larger fish than what we even like in the U.S. – that their choice was guided by the challenge of the lack of refrigeration was very interesting.” 

As a soybean producer who grows and supplies protein-rich feed to the catfish on his own farm, Good knew the challenge of efficiently feeding large fish was one he could offer advice on. In return, he received a shift in gratitude in a challenging 2024 growing season. 

The exchange of knowledge, experiences and perspectives provides the foundation for a successful trade mission.  

Successful trade missions:  

Offer perspective  

Good’s Macon, Miss., farm served as an ideal location to host a tour stop for the Nigerian trade mission organized by the U.S. Soybean Board’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health, not only because Good serves as a board director, but also because the family’s farm is uniquely situated to allow visitors to experience every aspect of fish production from the ground up.  

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“It's educational for people to visit the farm, even for U.S. citizens, but it's also very important for other countries to get hands-on experience,” Good said. “Visiting a farm like ours, where they're able to see the soybean production, the feed processing, the feeding of fish, the growing of fish, and then touring the fish plant that we were able to take them to locally. Here they saw the full system. It was two years of production growth, and they were able to see it from the beginning, go from the dirt all the way to the plate.” 

Seeing his farm from a fresh perspective helped Good gain insight into the technologies available to him that the rest of the world misses – and how he can use them to gain ground on his own operation. 

“I think the thing that stood out to me was our infrastructure and the integration that we have in the U.S. as far as so many opportunities for efficiencies,” Good said. “Everything is at our fingertips, whether it be bulk buying or processing. We have an opportunity in the U.S. As farmers, we literally are feeding the world, and they depend upon it.” 

Pictured from left are Adebayo Abdulfatai Olanlege, Sofolabi Sofela, Olusola David Olaniyan, Obisanya Adebayo Oluwatosin, Philip Good, Christian Good and Janelle Good. (Photo by WISHH)

Provide mutual benefit  

Where soy production in the U.S. primarily benefits poultry feed production, export markets for other feed products are ripe with opportunity. Nigeria is one of the youngest and fastest evolving countries in the world, with a population hungry for efficient, affordable protein that primarily comes in the form of fish. 

“Nigeria is a great opportunity for U.S. soy to be exported, for them to use that in their feed production. Their fish farming is one of the fastest growing farming enterprises in Nigeria,” Good said. “We know that U.S. sustainable soy is a great feed ingredient. It produces great feed efficiency in our catfish operation here, and in aquaculture in America.” 

In this instance, the opportunity for soy exports to support a 2.5-million-ton deficit in fish production demand bottlenecked by feed production provided a perfect middle ground for farmers and feed professionals to share information across international borders. 

“It's a great opportunity for us to fit their needs and it's an opportunity for them to help feed their people,” Good said.  

Christian Good showcases on-farm technology usage during a visit with aquaculture feed manufacturing professionals from Nigeria as part of a trade mission organized by the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health. (Photo by WISHH)

Break boundaries  

One key component of trade missions is the breakdown of boundaries, preventing trade between countries or agricultural progress. Sustainability tools and techniques were part of the educational currency of the trade mission to Good’s farm. 

“I think they were a little bit blown away by the technology that we use on the farm, and how much data is in the palms of our hands. We have our soil moisture probes that are telling us when we need to irrigate, when to turn off, and how to get the most efficiency from every drop of water that we capture,” Good said. “We were able to tell the story about how we're stopping erosion, using that water efficiently, improving water quality, and ultimately making the crops healthier.” 

Invest for future success  

Farmers – whether by yield or marketing or genetics – are always looking for opportunities to push the boundaries of their crop. For U.S. Soy, finding new customers and long-term end users is a continual effort.  

“We're happy to export, whether it be whole soybeans, or soybean meal. The true desire for most farmers is to feed the world and to interact with people who are interested in growing, developing and wanting to know about every aspect of what we do,” Good said. “This trade mission was just an opportunity to develop friendships, and I think those friendships and learning experiences are going to grow into some long-term customers for soy.” 

Good said U.S. Soy has been developing relationships in Nigeria for over 20 years. In a country where more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25, that effort represents a significant investment with long-term potential.  

“The investments that we're making now are so far into the future that some of them I may not see results for until my full retirement,” Good said. “That's kind of exciting, but we don't always get to see the fruit of all of our labor. It's not quite like the farm where you see a harvest every year. This is far enough out that I may not actually experience it, but I'm seeing some of the investments that were made by the farmers in front of me.” 

During a challenging 2024 growing season and a fairly disappointing harvest, Good said taking part in the trade mission helped improve his outlook for the years ahead. 

“I'm thankful for what I get the opportunity to do, which is to produce and grow food. And I'm happy to tell people about what a good product it is, and how safe it is, and how I feed it to my own grandsons,” Good said. “I think there are a lot of people who don't know where their food comes from, and I'm proud to be a part of one who's growing and producing it.”