USSEC hosted a Chinese crop tour team attending Grain and Soy Trade Summit in New Orleans to tours of soybean farms in Indiana, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. During the trip, Chinese delegates visited with soybean farmers, elevator managers and co-op executives. The hands-on tour allowed Chinese buyers to see all aspects of the U.S. soy industry, from farming, warehousing and handling to marketing and transportation logistics.

Through the farm tours, USSEC assured the Chinese team members of the steady supply of U. S. soy despite this year’s severe drought. Crop conditions turned out to be much better than previously estimated due to late-season rain and the adoption of biotech crops. The team inspected soybean fields, soil and farm equipment and visited with soy farmers about production costs and farming practices such as biotechnology, seeds, tillage, machinery and chemical uses. Some of the team members even rode in a combine with the hosting farmers for the first time to observe soybean harvest. Many commented on the efficiency and reliability of U.S. soy production which will ensure food security in the United States and the rest of the world.