Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring led three North Dakota agriculture commodity companies to Shanghai, China last week to take part in the fourth annual China – North Dakota ‘Better for You Food Ingredients’ Conference and Exhibition.
This event was organized by the North Dakota Trade Office (NDTO), Northern Crops Institute (NCI) and the North Dakota Department of Agriculture with assistance from the Bean Products Committee of China National Food Industry Association and the USDA’s Agricultural Trade Offices in Shanghai and Beijing.
The 2016 China – North Dakota ‘Better for You Food Ingredients’ event took place April 14-15 with a focus on soybeans and soy products. This year’s program was a component of the larger China International Soyfoods Industry Development Conference and the China International Exhibition for Soyfood Processing Technology and Equipment.
Commissioner Goehring spoke during the conference’s opening ceremony and gave a presentation on North Dakota’s agricultural products with a focus on soybeans to an audience of food buyers. Later Dr. Zhisheng Liu, a food scientist with the Northern Crops Institute, gave an introduction to North Dakota identity preserved soybeans and the importance of soy characteristics in food processing.
North Dakota food grade soybean producers and processors made individual presentations on their companies and products. These companies met with a multitude of potential buyers during the exhibition and reported a high interest from Chinese buyers in purchasing North Dakota product.
Commissioner Goehring also held meetings with Mr. Zeng Yucheng, deputy director of the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (CIQ) in Shanghai and Mr. Wu Xingbao, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce. Both meetings sought to improve understanding of the Shanghai food manufacturing sector and the current demand and movement of food products in the Chinese market.
The Shanghai CIQ oversees the inspection and quarantine of food products, implementation of regulations and policies on import food products. The Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce directs the manufacturing and distribution of food products and food-related logistics in Shanghai.
Organizations assisting in the development and support of this event include the North Dakota Soybean Council and the USDA Foreign Ag Service (FAS).
The NDTO is a membership-based, private/public partnership that provides education, research, advocacy, organization, and leadership so that NDTO members and North Dakota companies can increase exports and grow their international business.