Governor Kim Reynolds is leading an ag-trade mission to China this summer, which will include all of the state's major farm groups.
The trade mission July 19-28 will include representatives from the Farm Bureau, corn, pork, soy, beef, egg, poultry, dairy, and turkey industries.
China is the world's largest soybean importer, and recently announced it would lift a ban on US beef, that's been in place for more than a decade.
This is the first time all of Iowa’s farm groups have come together for a trade mission.
“There is no better time than now to market and pitch our products in China,” said Reynolds. “Our relationship with the country is strong, and their growing middle class means increasing purchasing power and Iowa stands to gain significantly as a result.”
Other US/China ag stats:
US pork exports to China/Hong Kong have grown from $271 million in sales and 169,000 metric tons in 2007 to over $1 billion in sales and 545,000 metric tons in 2016.
China imported more than 50 percent of the exportable supply of U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), or 6.3 metric tons valued at nearly $1.6 billion in 2015.
In 2016, China was our 4th largest market for U.S. dairy products imported of $384 million and potential for much more.