The USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service today announced that Michael T. Scuse, undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, is leading a mission to promote U.S. agricultural exports in northeast China May 5-13.
"We've seen the strongest five-year period for U.S. food and agricultural exports in our history," said Scuse. "This demand has a huge impact on the U.S. economy and our rural communities. USDA's trade mission to China during World Trade Month will open new doors and help our farmers and ranchers capitalize on the tremendous export potential for American agricultural products."
The mission is part of the Rural America export and investment initiative, designed to help rural businesses and leaders take advantage of new investment opportunities and access new customers and markets abroad. Leaders from state departments of agriculture in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Washington will participate in the mission, along with representatives from 28 U.S. agribusinesses.
China is already the largest international market for U.S. food and agricultural products, with exports reaching a record $23.5 billion last fiscal year. During the mission, the USDA delegation will travel to the northeastern provinces of Dalian, Shenyang and Changchun to learn about market conditions and business opportunities.
With its rapidly growing middle class and a population roughly equal to that of Mexico, northeast China is an increasingly attractive market for U.S. agricultural exports. Buoyed by economic growth and urban development, the region's agricultural imports have been soaring and outpacing the rest of the country in recent years. U.S. agricultural exports to the region have grown 18 percent annually since 2009 and demand for soybeans, red meat, dairy and sugar have all seen double-digit growth over the past five years.
Source: Wisconsin Ag Connect