U.S. Ambassador to China Briefs ASTA’s FuSE Committee

On Monday, February 26, ASTA’s Future Seed Executives (FuSE) Committee hosted a special members-only webinar with U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Terry Branstad. The webinar was opened by FuSE Chair Bethany Drendel, DowDuPont, and ASTA’s China Working Group Lead Tim Johnson, president of Illinois Foundation Seeds.

Branstad discussed priorities for the U.S. embassy in China; agriculture trade; challenges and opportunities in China; and more. Branstad was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China in May, 2017. Prior to his role as Ambassador, he was Iowa’s longest-serving governor.

ASTA’s International Executive Committee has identified China as a priority market. Over the last decade, the association has built a strong relationship with the Chinese National Seed Association and the Ministry of Agriculture’s Seed Management Bureau, and has provided input on the Chinese seed law and plant variety protection law. ASTA is currently working to develop a pilot project to try and bring U.S. corn genetics to China, with the goal of improving food security in the nation.