Annual workshop highlights U.S. Soy's role in sustainable aquafeeds

PATTAYA, Thailand, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) successfully hosted the 11^th Annual Southeast Asia Aquaculture Feed Formulation Workshop from May 18–21, 2025, in Pattaya, Thailand. The event brought together commercial aquafeed formulators and global experts to strengthen regional collaboration and further train participants on commercially applicable approaches to designing high-quality, nutritionally targeted feed formulations that meet the industry's needs for profitable and efficient aquaculture production.

Aquaculture remains the fastest-growing segment of the feed industry, and Southeast Asia is a major contributor to global fishery production, generating 22% of the world's output^[1]. As aquaculture continues to expand to meet rising demand, feed formulators are playing an increasingly important role in developing high-quality, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions—an area where U.S. Soy offers proven value and performance.

U.S. Soy: A Sustainable Aquafeed Solution

Soy is now the most widely used plant-based protein in aquafeed, and U.S. Soy offers a scalable, sustainable alternative to fishmeal—reducing reliance on marine resources while maintaining performance.

U.S. Soy consistently demonstrates high digestibility, a balanced amino acid profile, and lower carbon footprints than soy from other origins. Participants in the workshop examined ingredient sustainability metrics and used a simulated commercial formulation environment to evaluate cost-effectiveness and environmental impact.

"As aquaculture in Southeast Asia grows more sophisticated, there's increasing demand for reliable, high-quality protein sources that support feed efficiency and sustainability," said Lukas Manomaitis, Technical Director – Aquaculture, USSEC Southeast Asia & Oceania, and lead at this event. "U.S. Soy is well-positioned to meet that need—with consistent nutritional quality, a verified sustainability profile, and strong technical support. It's now a key ingredient driving resilient and innovative aquaculture production."

Building Regional Expertise

Now in its 11^th year, the three-day workshop trained participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam in hands-on formulation sessions using real-world data to simulate commercial environments. These exercises demonstrated the value of U.S. Soy in building high-performance, sustainable feed while navigating a complex and evolving ingredient landscape.

With technical presentations and group formulation simulations, the workshop addressed practical considerations such as ingredient cost variability, supply chain factors, and environmental impacts. Conversations throughout the workshop reinforced the growing need for sustainable plant protein, like soy, as the top ingredient choice for aquafeeds. With feed accounting for a significant portion of production costs, optimizing formulations with responsibly sourced ingredients like U.S. Soy is critical for both performance and long-term environmental stewardship.

Global Insights, Regional Impact

This year's event featured leading aquaculture nutritionists, including Dr. Dominique Bureau, USSEC's Aqua Nutrition and Feed Specialist and Dr. Brett Glencross, Technical Director at IFFO - The Marine Ingredients Organisation, alongside a large global panel of formulators and topic experts.

Philip Good, Mississippi soybean farmer and Chair of the United Soybean Board (USB), emphasized how U.S. farmers are committed to producing high-quality soy using sustainable practices that support the evolving needs of sectors like aquaculture. Other topics ranged from functional feed development and nutrient optimization to sustainability assessments in feed formulation.

"Through long-term partnerships and targeted technical support, USSEC is proud to support Southeast Asia's aquaculture sector with the knowledge, and resources needed to advance sustainable growth," said Timothy Loh, Regional Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania, USSEC.

As aquaculture continues to evolve globally, practical formulation tools and shared technical expertise are key to improving feed strategies. USSEC remains committed to working alongside Southeast Asia's feed formulators to support more efficient and responsible aquaculture practices.

This press release is funded in part by the soy checkoff. 

About the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC):  

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) focuses on differentiating, elevating preference, and attaining market access for the use of U.S. Soy for human consumption, aquaculture, and livestock feed in 93 countries internationally. USSEC members represent the soy supply chain including U.S. Soy farmers, processors, commodity shippers, merchandisers, allied agribusinesses, and agricultural organizations. USSEC is funded by the soy checkoff, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service matching funds, and industry. Visit ussec.org for the latest information and news about USSEC and U.S. Soy internationally.