By DOUG SCHMITZ

Iowa Correspondent

BAXTER, Iowa — When a delegation of eight senior journalists from China visited Iowa last November, they learned firsthand how soybean farmers and the industry were coping with the ongoing trade dispute between the Communist country and the United States.

“Historically, Iowa soybean farmers export one of every three rows of soybeans they grow to China,” said Aaron Putze, Iowa Soybean Assoc. (ISA) director of communications. “It’s a critical market for U.S. farmers, and Iowa farmers are a trusted supplier of high-quality soybeans.”

Sponsored by the East-West Center in Hawaii, the eight were participating in the 2018 U.S. Study Tour for Chinese Journalists. The delegation represented the China media outlets of FactWire News Agency (Hong Kong), Red Star News and Economic Daily (Chengdu), South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Global Times Chinese edition (Beijing) and Beijing Youth Daily.

“It’s thrilling to know that the Iowa Soybean Association is courageously doing a lot of work to try to make changes of the U.S.-China trade dispute,” said Xiao Yang, Youth Daily senior journalist.

Xiaojing Xing, senior news reporter for the Times, said, “I think we need more such kind of dialogue. It really helps both of us to understand each other, and we may figure out a solution in the end.

“The detailed discussion also helps me understand the real agricultural situation and the ongoing subsidy policy in Iowa,” she added. “And the farmers’ perspectives toward trade friction are also important to me; otherwise I can’t write objectively.”

But when asked if the reporters, who are under state control, felt pressured to promote China’s side of the trade situation, Putze told Farm World, “We had an open conversation. They were truly interested in how the situation is affecting farmers. They asked substantive questions.”

In addition to its stop in Iowa, the delegation visited Washington, D.C., and Seattle, which included discussions on the China-U.S. relationship, with a focus on trade, security, media and cultural issues.

After a two-hour discussion with ISA staff, the delegation toured the farm of Brock and Robin Hansen, Baxter area farmers and ISA members.

“I don’t think we thought much about the opportunity when we were first invited to host the reporters to our farm,” Brock Hansen said. “But in retrospect, touring the farm and discussing trade around the kitchen table with the group was an amazing experience.

“We talked for nearly two hours but probably could have talked for another two. How often does one get a chance like this?”

The Hansen children – Veronica, 19, Morgan, 12, Ayden, 8, and Seth, 5 – also joined them in the conservation. “Our kids were very impressed, or taken aback I should say, of why people halfway around the world want to know about us and what we do,” their father said.

“Robin and I are thankful for our connection with ISA and the work it does to build and maintain relationships with those who need and buy what we grow.”

In August, Hong Lei, consul general of The People’s Republic of China and a Chicago-based Chinese diplomat, traveled to Iowa to talk trade with soybean and state agricultural officials. But according to the Dec. 11 USDA Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports, U.S. farm analysts said potential U.S. soybean sales to China could cause prices to trend higher.