Award-winning Michigan exporter Zeeland Farm Services aims to keep its edge amid competition

Family-owned Zeeland Farm Services Inc., exporter since 1999, was named the 2023 Michigan Ag Exporter of the Year. The company processes, transports and exports Michigan-grown soybeans and soybean meal.

Zeeland Farm Services exported around $23 million in food-grade soybean products and about $180 million in feed-grade products in 2022. The company’s primary export is non-GMO soybean meal, 90% of which is grown in Michigan. Now, it’s facing tougher market competition as other global competitors are bouncing back after a pandemic slowdown, often caused by transportation hurdles.

“As a company, we came out of [COVID] much faster and we were able to supply needs and take customer bases from our competitors around the world,” said Chairman Cliff Meeuwsen. “I think we’re going to have a couple of tough years as our competitors have come back online,” he said. “They’re buying back their customer base.”

But Meeuwsen affirmed the top quality of Zeeland Farms’ products and the confidence customers have in its reliability for delivery.

Michigan agricultural exports came to $2.7 billion in 2022, an 8% year over year increase. Animal feed, soybean and soybean residue, brewing waste, and sugar beets accounted for $335 million of those exports.

Soybean producers will see prices drop next year by $1.40 a bushel; South American countries are experiencing record crops.

Source: Crain’s Grand Rapids Business
To view source article, visit:
https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/agriculture/michigans-ag-exporter-of-the-year-braces-for-more-competition-as-pandemic-disruptions-ease/

Organic & Non-GMO Insights October 2023