5/21/2004 - In 1992, the aquaculture industry in China was not usingsoybean meal in feed. Today, soybean meal use by this industry isestimated to exceed 185 million bushels of soybeans a year, thanks in partto soybean checkoff-funded programs, implemented by the American SoybeanAssociation (ASA). These programs increased demand for U.S. soybean mealthrough feeding demonstrations showing the nutritional and economicadvantages of feeding U.S. soybean meal to fish. As a result of thesuccess experienced building demand for soybean meal in China'saquaculture industry, the soybean checkoff is now conducting similardemand-building activities in the aquaculture industries in India,Vietnam, Indonesia and the Phillipines. Checkoff-funded seminars,presented to fish farmers, feed mills, university professors andgovernment and extension officials in these nations, highlight data fromprevious feeding demonstrations held in China.