USSEC and American Soybean Association director Stan Born and USSEC and United Soybean Board (USB) director Doug Winter recently traveled to China, taking part in the 2019/20 U.S. Soy Trade Workshop & New Year Reception in Shanghai on January 16, one day after the signing of phase I of the U.S.-China trade deal. 50 representatives from key exporters, crushers, full-fat soybean manufacturers, and feed millers such as ADM, Bunge, Cargill, Cofco, Yihai Kerry, Bohi, Jiusan, Sinograin, and China Sea, among others, participated in this seminar.
Bobby Richey, Minister Counselor of Agricultural Affairs from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, delivered sincere thanks to the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Food stuffs, Native Produce and Animal By Products (CFNA) and the customers as solid supporters to U.S. soybean farmers and the U.S. soybean industry. “The China-US Phase I Deal will mark a milestone and a new beginning,” stated Mr. Richey. “U.S. food and agriculture play an important role in the Phase I Deal, which will further help to lift the two countries’ bilateral trade.”
Yu Sun, CFNA (China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Food stuffs, Native Produce and Animal By Products) Vice Director, remarked, “We expect the China US Phase I Deal will set a good start for the 2020 soybean market. Today’s U.S. Soy Trade Workshop underscores the determination of two countries’ industries to continue working together.”
Mr. Born and Mr. Winter delivered presentations and answered multiple questions about U.S. soybean planting, harvest, and yield. Learning about U.S. Soy’s sustainability and advantages was impressive to the customers.
USSEC CEO Jim Sutter delivered great appreciation of the past 38 years of U.S. Soy’s friendship with China’s crushing, feed millers, and animal husbandry industries, saying he believes the U.S. Soy Advantage in nutrition and sustainability will bring huge value to the Chinese industry. “The Chinese New Year of Rat is coming very soon,” said Mr. Sutter. “The Year of Rat is a new beginning of every 12 years. The China-U.S. Phase I Deal also means a new beginning between the U.S. and China.”
All participants expressed great appreciation of the signed trade deal as all of the enterprises will benefit from the termination of uncertainty. This workshop provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen participants’ knowhow on soybean purchasing, and to network with the whole supply chain.