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Source: USDA, 2/16/12
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and China’s Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu today signed an historic Plan of Strategic Cooperation that will guide the two countries’ agricultural relationship for the next 5 years.
The plan was signed as part of the U.S.-China Agricultural Symposium held today at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. The symposium focused on bilateral cooperation in the areas of food safety, food
security and sustainable agriculture, as well as enhanced business relationships between the
two countries.
“This symposium and plan are a product of a vision I share with my dear old friend
Minister Han for the United States and China to work more collaboratively in the future to
benefit our nations and agriculture around the world,” Vilsack said.
“This plan builds on the already strong relationship our nations enjoy around
agricultural science, trade, and education. It looks to deepen our cooperation through technical
exchange and to strengthen coordination in priority areas like animal and plant health and
disease, food security, sustainable agriculture, genetic resources, agricultural markets and
trade, and biotechnology and other emerging technologies,” he added.
Xi Jinping, China's vice president, opened the symposium and stressed the importance
China places on supporting farmers and rural development, as well as on food security.
“China attaches great importance to food security, and ensuring a sufficient food supply
for 1.3 billion people,” Xi said.
In the 2011 fiscal year, China became the top market for U.S. agricultural goods,
purchasing $20 billion in U.S. agricultural exports. The value of U.S. farm exports to China
supported more than 160,000 American jobs in 2011, on and off the farm across a variety of
sectors.
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