The US state of Oregon, which is keen to strengthen its economic partnership with China, hosted a trade delegation from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region last week to explore business opportunities.
The delegation and agricultural stakeholders in Oregon have agreed that more than 50 farms from the US state will supply 80,000 metric tons of hay to Inner Mongolia.
"We heavily rely on exports for profitability. So trade with China is very beneficial for our own farm, and it's very beneficial for a lot of the alfalfa farms in Eastern Oregon," said Mark Owens, a member of the Oregon House of Representatives and a farm owner.
Alfalfa is a plant that is used for feeding farm animals.
Oregon's agricultural sector is closely linked to Chinese markets. According to Owens, the state produces more than 220 agricultural products, of which approximately 80 percent are destined for export, making market diversification and expansion critical to farmer profitability.
