High-level government connections and business opportunities emerged from the first Oregon Seed Council trade mission to China in more than a quarter of a century. 

“There is definitely a lot more to do, there is a lot of growth opportunity over there, but we see this as a really good foot in the door,” said Megan Chuinard, executive director of the Oregon Seed Council. 

Chuinard, president of the Seed Council Dave Goracke, and Oregon State University Extension field crops agronomist and OSC board member Christy Tanner joined Oregon legislators, business leaders and members of the Oregon China Council on the 16-day trade mission that was designed to spur Oregon business opportunities in China.

Chuinard noted that the legislative presence on the mission was critical. 

“Government-to-government relationships are critical, so having our legislative leaders, Oregon State Rep. Mark Owens and Sen. Lew Frederick, participate with us set the Oregon Seed Council and the seed industry up for success,” she said. Further, Chuinard said, it helped that the trade mission followed an expedition led by Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner, where state legislators and Oregon China Council members teed up meetings and conversations with government officials. 

“Their work opened the door for our organization and the Oregon China Council to engage in friendship and trade discussions,” she said. “To have the Oregon China Council there to help us navigate those channels and build a really robust program was critical.”

“It’s a lot more top-down over there,” added Tanner, “and I think we connected with some of the people that have a fair amount of decision-making power.”

Mission highlight

A highlight of the trade mission included visits to two of the largest dairies in China, both located in Inner Mongolia. Tanner noted that feed mixtures at the dairies are pretty well established, but there may be some opportunities for Oregon forages. “They are using a lot of alfalfa and corn silage, but they are also using some cool season grasses in their feed rotations,” Tanner said. 

The delegates also uncovered a business opportunity for feed sales in Ordo, Inner Mongolia, where a booming cashmere goat industry thrives.

“Erdos Cashmere was a great contact for OSC,” Chuinard said. “We learned there are 200 different grass varieties used to feed their goats, and we were able to connect with the general manager regarding Oregon seed use in feed blends.”

Also, while cover crops aren’t generally used in China, the seed delegation saw a potential for introducing cover crops to dairy operations and, potentially, other agricultural operations. Goracke said that in talking to a feed manager at one of the two large dairies, he learned the dairy “is very interested in learning more about cover crops and potentially working with Oregon seed producers.”

“I see a real need for cover crops there,” Goracke said, “both to protect their soil and I think they can utilize them for grazing.”

Cover crops also came up as part of a presentation to officials from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in Beijing. The presentation included information on how grass seed crops can be used for erosion control, for preventing desertification, for beautification and for other beneficial purposes. Also during that presentation, Chuinard noted that Tanner was able to highlight the quality standards in place in the Oregon seed industry through seed certification and other programs.

“We had a lot of opportunity to discuss our seed testing and seed certification protocols, and this did seem to pique the interest of officials,” Chuinard said. “I would say there are opportunities to continue to educate officials and business partners on the purity, germination rate and quality of our seeds.”

Additional highlights of trade mission, which ran from Oct. 28-Nov. 12, included visits to the national seed research center for China in Inner Mongolia and to the Guangxi Normal University in Guangxi. The delegation also participated in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.