Canadian Meat Industry Visiting China

Nov 13, 2019

Representatives of the Canadian red meat industry are in China this week to continue to build on the trade relationship between the two countries.

The Chinese market was reopened to Canadian pork last week, following a 4-month suspension.

“During our visit a few weeks back, we heard clearly that we needed to strengthen our relationship with our Chinese customers” explained Rick Bergmann, Canadian Pork Council (CPC) Chair. “Activities such as this mission will serve to do just that but will also allow us to thank Chinese officials for their trust and confidence in reopening the market for us."

In addition to meetings in Shanghai, the delegation is set to travel to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing and Tianjin before concluding their trip. They will be meeting with members of the Canada-China Business Council, Import and Export Food Safety Bureau officials, food importers, retailers, Canadian trade representatives and Canadian consulates.

“Every time I travel to China and meet with our customers and partners, I gain a better understanding of the market, and that informs the decisions we make back in Canada” said Hans Kristensen, CPC First Vice-Chair.

Participants from the Canadian Pork Council, the Canadian Meat Council, Canada Pork International and others will also meet Ambassador Dominic Barton.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.