USSEC Advances Aquaculture Feed Formulation in Asia

Annual regional training highlights U.S. Soy's role in high‑performance, sustainable aquafeeds

BALI, Indonesia, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) delivered two aquaculture feed formulation workshops in Bali recently, convening commercial aquafeed formulators and nutritionists from Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. The programs strengthened collaboration across markets and equipped participants with commercially applicable approaches to designing high‑quality, nutritionally targeted aquafeeds that support efficient and sustainable aquaculture production.

Aquaculture is a major growth engine across Asia, accounting for over 90% of global aquaculture output^[1]. Countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia are among the world's leading aquaculture producers, including Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Indonesia, which continue to expand production to meet rising demand for affordable, high‑quality protein. For the 2025/26 marketing year, total U.S. soybean exports to Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Vietnam reached 4.65 million metric tons, while soybean meal exports totaled 1 million metric tons^[2] to date. These figures underscore the region's growing reliance on high‑quality, consistent ingredients that support efficient feed production and sustainable aquaculture growth.

Held in August, the 4^th Annual Bangladesh Aquaculture Feed Formulation Workshop and the 12^th Southeast Asia Aquaculture Feed Formulation Workshop brought together participants from across the region for technical presentations, hands‑on formulation training and strategic discussions. Through guided exercises and real‑world commercial formulation scenarios, participants strengthened their formulation capability and gained practical experience applying technical concepts to feed design and how these link to improved aquaculture production.

U.S. Soy: A Reliable, Sustainable Ingredient for Modern Aquafeeds

Across both workshops, participants examined ingredient performance, supply reliability, and sustainability considerations — including the value of U.S. Soy's consistent nutritional quality, verified sustainability profile, and strong technical support. Sessions reinforced how responsibly sourced ingredients contribute to feed efficiency, environmental stewardship, and long‑term industry resilience.

U.S. soybean farmers Brent Gatton of Kentucky and Thomas Frisch of Minnesota shared firsthand insights on sustainable U.S. soybean production and on‑farm practices that support dependable supply — a key foundation for feed manufacturers aiming to deliver consistent, high‑quality formulations.

Aquaculture Feed Formulation Workshops

The Bangladesh and Southeast Asia workshops provided a regional platform for strengthening feed formulation capability and building shared understanding across Asia's aquaculture sector. Participants from Bangladesh and from Southeast Asia — including Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — took part in programs focused on the use of reliable ingredients such as U.S. Soy in modern feed development.

Across both workshops, participants examined how key ingredients contribute to feed performance, how production processes influence feed quality, and how evolving industry needs shape formulation choices. Sessions also introduced emerging digital tools that support more consistent, efficient feed development. These discussions helped participants strengthen how they evaluate options, balance cost and performance, and adopt approaches that support both day‑to‑day production and long‑term industry growth.

Carlos Salinas, USSEC East Asia's Executive Director, emphasized the importance of strengthening formulation capability across the region. "Twelve years of the Southeast Asia workshop, and now a fourth year in Bangladesh, show how far formulation capability in this region has come. What made Bali different was having formulators from eight markets, global nutritionists and U.S. soybean farmers working through real commercial formulation problems together. That is where U.S. Soy earns its place in a feed: not as a commodity, but as a consistent, verified ingredient that formulators can build a performance-focused diet around."

Global Expertise, Regional Impact

This year's workshops also drew on global expertise, featuring leading aquaculture nutritionists and technical specialists who contributed broader perspectives on formulation trends, ingredient innovation, and evolving feed technologies. Among them was Dr. Brett Glencross, Technical Director at IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organisation, who shared insights on ingredient performance and the role of responsibly sourced raw materials in modern aquafeed development.

This year's workshops featured around 25 technical presentations, including contributions from many commercial companies that shared insights on aquaculture formulation and practical approaches used across the aquafeed industry. The breadth of perspectives helped participants understand how different organizations navigate evolving formulation needs and industry conditions, strengthening the overall technical depth of the program.

Speaking on the region's shift toward more advanced feed development, Lukas Manomaitis, USSEC East Asia's Aquaculture Lead, emphasized the importance of practical, commercially grounded formulation skills. "Across South and Southeast Asia, formulators are moving toward more advanced, performance‑focused feed development. Our goal is to help them formulate high‑quality, targeted feeds using responsible, reliable ingredients. The strong engagement we saw in Bali reflects the region's commitment to adopting more sustainable, efficient approaches to aquaculture."

Advancing Collaboration Across Asia

The workshops underscore USSEC's commitment to supporting aquaculture growth across Asia through shared expertise and strong partnerships across the aquaculture value chain. As the sector continues to evolve globally, ongoing technical collaboration and formulation training remain essential to building more resilient aquaculture systems.

About USSEC

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) focuses on attaining market access, differentiating, and elevating preference for the use of U.S. Soy for human consumption, aquaculture, and livestock feed in more than 90 countries. 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 (FAS) matching funds, and industry. Visit www.ussec.org for the latest information about USSEC and U.S. Soy internationally.  

SOURCE U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)