Trade mission to Japan, South Korea carried hope of diversifying soybean market beyond China

Trade mission to Japan, South Korea carried hope of diversifying soybean market beyond China

Members of a South Dakota trade mission pose at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, in March 2026. (Courtesy of the Governor's Office)South Dakota officials are trying to strengthen trade relationships with Japan and South Korea as soybean farmers look to diversify beyond China, which has reduced its purchases.  Jerry Schmitz, executive director of the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, was part of a delegation that visited the t…