USDA Stresses Importance of China

To say the Chinese market is important to the USDA may be an understatement.

"We've got more people in China (USDA) than anywhere else in the world, except for Washington DC, but also the place where we've got the most short-term potential to really move the needle on our exports.  We export about $20 billion a year to China in Ag products, and you can easily see that increasing by $7 billion," said Jason Haffmeister.

Haffmeister is the trade council to the Ag Secretary who spoke at the annual agriculture outlook forum.  The panel included Michael Ward, a senior Ag attache at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

"Since China ceded tot he World Trade Organization at the end of 2001, total food and agriculture imports have increased from $10.5 billion to $177.9 billion in 2017," Ward said.

He added that he expects China will continue to increase and diversify its food and ag imports.