Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
Last week, Commissioner Troxler took another step in developing the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ relationship with the Chinese by signing an agreement to become a “Brother Department” with the Yunnan Department of Agriculture.
Commissioner Troxler and Zhang Zhize, deputy director general of the YDA, signed the Memorandum of Understanding Jan. 7 in a brief ceremony at the Agriculture Building in Raleigh.
Commissioner Troxler visited the province in southwestern China during a trade mission in 2009, and the two leaders signed a preliminary agreement then. Agriculture in Yunnan is similar to North Carolina, and the agriculture leaders believe there are opportunities for cooperation that will benefit the people of North Carolina and Yunnan Province.
Under this agreement, the departments agree to share information on best practices for maximizing services to growers; set up an exchange of ideas, training and technology; and share materials of mutual interest. Finally, the two departments want to enhance communication and cooperation in areas of agricultural production, processing, trade and investment.
Click on the audio player below the photo to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda Garrison discuss this agreement and the importance of the Chinese market for N.C. ag exports.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler and Zhange Zhize of the Yunnan Department of Agriculture sign the "Brother Departments of Agriculture" agreement.
Southern Farm Network is a division of Curtis Media Group.
Previous posts related to this topic:
- Wednesday in China: A flight delayed, an agreement signed (posted Aug. 5, 2009)
- Thursday in China: A long and interesting day (posted Aug. 6, 2009)