The world's growing aquaculture industry is increasingly using plant proteins to culture fish. The growing adoption of soy-based aquafeeds can be in part attributed to the investments made by U.S. soybean farmers in research efforts by the United Soybean Board (USB) and the international marketing work of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) known world-wide as ASA-IM.

The U.S. soybean industry recognized the need for research in fish nutrition, international marketing work with feed-based aquaculture technologies and soy product application in aquafeeds. USSEC/ASA-IM, with funding provided by the soybean check-off, USB, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, began marketing efforts for aquaculture in China, the largest producer of aquaculture products in 1992.

USSEC has conducted over 150  feeding trials to demonstrate the nutritional properties and economical advantages of using species-specific, soy-based rations. Details of these feeding trial, their results and their impact pn soy use form inception of the program through the present are a feature of this website. Much of the feed-based aquaculture and soy-based feed technology developed by USSEC has direct application to aquaculture industries throughout the world.

The USB research program has worked with eight U.S. universities to address and investigate opportunities for greater soy inclusion in diets for Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Marine Shrimp, Pompano and other marine fin fish. Details of this research are also found on this site.