Lt. Gov.: Indiana could help feed China
Skillman says China's food needs can be met by Indiana's farmers
INDIANAPOLIS | Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman told Chinese officials Thursday that Indiana is ready to help meet the agricultural needs of the world's most populous country.
"China is an economic power with a large population, but a relatively small amount of arable land," Skillman said. "Meanwhile, Hoosier farmers are producing enough high-quality goods to provide for both Indiana and the international community."
Skillman spoke Thursday at the Zhejiang-Indiana Agricultural Conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on the first day of a 10-day agricultural trade mission to China. Skillman also is Indiana's agriculture commissioner.
At the conference, Skillman and the 25 other members of Indiana's agricultural delegation met with some 20 Chinese agricultural companies interested in doing business in Indiana.
China is the fourth-largest international purchaser of Indiana agricultural products, behind Canada, Mexico and Japan. In 2008, Indiana exported nearly $700 million in agricultural goods to China.
Later on Thursday, the delegation attended a welcome banquet hosted by the Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Department. Indiana and Zhejiang have been sister states since 1987.
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