While only in the office for a summer, interns play an important role in the Illinois Soybean Association. Research, outreach, and development are crucial pieces of their time in the office. This year, Market Development was honored to hold positions for two interns, Natalie Beltran and Olivia Ohmen. Below, you will read Natalie’s account of the summer where she not only grew professionally, but also offered a new perspective to our department’s initiatives and took the first step in exploring new market opportunities in Africa.
“My name is Natalie Beltran, and I’ve had the pleasure of being a Summer 2025 Market Development intern. A little background about me: I’m an incoming junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign majoring in Agricultural and Consumer Economics. On campus I’m involved in a variety of professional and social organizations, which I believe prepared me for my role here at the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). I’ve always loved learning about the intersections between the economy and the environment, and my time at ISA has truly broadened my perspective while also allowing me to bring all my classroom knowledge to life. On my first day as an intern, I immediately knew that this internship would provide me so many opportunities to grow professionally in the world of agriculture, something that I was really striving to do. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I’ve learned that I lack knowledge in one area that is the so important to our economy and society—farming. In class if I’m given a graph, I can describe economic trends and solve complex problems, but I couldn’t tell you about how soybeans are harvested, how farmers strategically farm their crops, or how they pivot when things don’t go as planned, which I learned can be quite often.
As I began my internship, I learned about soybean harvest—when it occurs, how farmers prepare, and how soybeans are dried and stored in grain elevators. I also had the incredible opportunity to visit Jeff O’Connor’s farm, an At-Large Director at ISA. There, I saw the day-to-day tasks involved with operating a farm, learning about the equipment utilized as well as different strategies when it comes to irrigation and crop health. Jeff and I communicated via email before the visit. I gathered information about the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) participants visiting from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica, and Jeff also tasked me with finding information regarding the nutritional benefits of soy, something that is particularly important because of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which is shedding a negative light on seed oils. Even writing up small reports for Jeff was very meticulous and allowed me to hone my research skills, which was very useful when it came to completing my business cases.
Although my daily tasks varied each week, my focus this summer was a series of business cases that targeted emerging African markets. I would research various African countries, looking at demand, gross domestic product, port access, infrastructure, soy consumption, imports, and a variety of other factors to determine whether the country had the potential for ISA investment. Learning how to navigate business cases efficiently and researching credible resources was the longest part of the process. After all my base information was gathered, I was able to put my thoughts on paper while also incorporating graphs and maps to help the reader visualize the content. My completed business cases included livestock production in Nigeria, the Kenyan Aquaculture industry, and South Africa’s import potential. I was able to present my findings at the end of the summer and showcase the work, both to the Market Development Committee and to staff. My intern counterparts also presented that day for their various departments highlighting their valuable contributions and takeaways from the summer. Overall, ISA supports farmer-driven priorities through promotion, advocacy, and education—something I’ve had the privilege to witness firsthand. From promoting soybean farmers’ interests at international consulates to advocating for Illinois agriculture at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, ISA plays a vital role. Through attending the Israeli trade team visit at the Lombard office with Caitlyn Abbey and David Kubik, I realized the value in hosting these groups to educate on the checkoff system, Illinois soybean exports, government regulations, and advancements in biofuels. This association puts farmers first while also educating others about the importance of Illinois agriculture. It’s truly been an honor to learn from every individual that works here while also contributing to such a wonderful work initiative. I’ve been able to grow in ways that I couldn’t even imagine, and I will carry this experience with me in all my future endeavors.”
By: Natalie Beltran
