USSEC, in collaboration with the Chinese Soybean Industry Association (CSIA), organized soybean crop tours and workshops on soybean family farm production management for Chinese soybean producers to promote sustainable production practice in China.  This program, which ran from August 18-22, is intended to help the U.S. soybean industry forge closer collaborations with their Chinese counterparts for improved trade relations with mutual benefits.
Two workshops were organized in Heilongjiang province, China’s major soybean growing area, with assistance from local agricultural technical extension centers.  Bob Worth, American Soybean Association (ASA) Vice President, and Jay Myers, United Soybean Board (USB) Director, together with professors Tom DeSutter and Dave Franzen from North Dakota State University and Phil Kenkel of Oklahoma State University made presentations about U.S. soy farm operations, soil conservation practices and U.S. co-ops to a total of 100 participants representing local soybean farmers, agricultural technical extension specialists and agricultural bureau officers, who showed great interest in such topics.  This exchange is the first of its kind in the U.S. soybean industry’s activities in China and helps Chinese soybean producers to be more knowledgeable of the U.S. soybean production system, soil conservation programs, and a co-op’s roles and functions in helping farmers with efficient crop production and marketing.  The U.S. speakers also gained knowledge of the Chinese soybean production on using wide or narrow ridges for better crop management and higher yield and learned about emerging co-ops in China aiming at increasing the nation’s crop productivity for food security.
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) / Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) Shenyang Director Phil Jarrel joined the U.S. team on this trip to show support to the U.S. soy industry’s activities in Northeast China.  USSEC North Asia Regional Director Paul Burke, USSEC China Country Director Zhang Xiaoping, and USSEC Marketing Program Assistant Zeng Yantian escorted the U.S. speaker team on this trip and provided assistance in organizing the workshops and field tours.  CSIA’s Senior Vice President Liu Denggao attended the first workshop and opened to the program.  His address emphasized the benefits of cooperative relations between the U.S. and Chinese soybean industry organizations to the industry and trade development in both countries.