USSEC collaborated with the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and two Chinese partners, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce & Animal By-products (CFNA) and Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) to sponsor the 2016 U.S.-China Grains & Oilseed Forum in Beijing on June 17. This joint event provided a platform for grains and oilseed industry representatives from China and the U.S. to discuss policy and market uncertainties, potential means to address them, and the implications for traders and end users in China.
Invited speakers included Joe Glauber, former chief economist of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); Song Hongyuan, director general of Research Institute of Rural Economy of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture; Mike Every, chief analyst from Rabobank International Asia; Zhang Jianping, director of Foreign Economies of the National Development and Reform Commission; Hanver Li, President of Shanghai JC Intelligence Co.; Jenny Campbell, chief analyst from DHF; and Bell Chen, senior vice President of Asia Division. USSEC member R.J. O’Brien presented a wide range of topics to about 140 participants from government agencies, research institutes, industry associations, and agribusiness companies from both the U.S. and China. The invited speakers interacted with the audience on many issues such as the global economic and financial situation, non-price support policies, corn and soybean market outlooks, and price risk management recommendations. The Minister Counselor for Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, Bruce Zanin, together with senior officials from the event’s co-sponsoring organizations, opened the program to support industries between the two countries in the discussion of improving trade relations for sustainable food security and food safety in China.
American Soybean Association (ASA) director Lawrence Sukalski provided opening remarks on behalf of the U.S. Soy industry, demonstrating U.S. Soy’s commitments to the development of China’s soybean value chain from soybean crushing to feed milling to animal production by long-term cooperation in technology transfer and marketing services.
Prior to the forum in Beijing, Mr. Sukalski was escorted by USSEC Country Director - China Xiaoping Zhang and USSEC Marketing Manager Claudia Chong on several field visits in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province and Beijing to further enhance the partnership with Yihai Kerry Group, CP Group and Dabeinong Feed Group.