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August 13, 2002 NCI Technical Director Promotes Wheat in China
Fargo, ND, USA -- Brian Sorenson, Technical Director at Northern Crops Institute and Wheat Quality Specialist for NDSU Extension Service, is in China promoting hard red spring wheat (HRS) on a two-week tour with U.S. Wheat Associates. Sorenson accompanies Mark Lyons, Milling Consultant for U.S. Wheat Associates/Hong Kong, and Victor Qiu, Marketing Consultant for U.S. Wheat Associates/Beijing	Brian Sorenson visits the Great Wall of China.
On August 5, the team met with officials from COFCO, China's grain-purchasing agency. They discussed hard red spring wheat quality and the status of the 2002 crop. "We emphasized the relative good quality of the crop in the central and northern parts of North Dakota and Minnesota, although excessive rains have caused localized crop yield reductions," said Sorenson. "A drought in the south central and western parts of North Dakota, as well as much of South Dakota and Montana, will impact their crops," he told the group. In Qinhuangdao, they were guests at a traditional Chinese dinner hosted by Mr. Wong, manager of the Pang Thai Flourmill, and his head miller and engineer. Mr. Wong was a member of the Chinese Technical Team that took part in a one-day program at the Northern Crops Institute on June 17, focusing on HRS quality characteristics, dough mixing and bread making demonstrations. Sorenson explained HRS quality characteristics to 35 members of Pang Thai Flourmill staff and updated them on the 2002 crop. Lyons, Qiu, and Sorenson held a question and answer session with the mill employees, who showed great interest in HRS wheat, especially high protein (14.5-15%) and high protein quality dark northern spring (DNS) wheat. Pang Thai Mill has not yet purchased U.S. HRS wheat, due in part to the Tariff Rate Quota System put in place by the Chinese Government in response to WTO negotiations. After a visit to the Great Wall of China, the team met with Mr. Liu Yizhou, General Manager of Baiyan Flour Mill in Shunde. They discussed better ways to work with grain trading companies to ensure that future shipments will meet quality specifications. In China, they will meet with officials of the Guangdong Grain Reserves Corp., Sanshui Feng Shun Flour Mill, Guangzhou Four Gardeners Flour Co., Ltd., Great Wall Food (Shekou) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Southseas Grains Industries, Ltd., and Shekou Lam Soon Flour Mills Co., Ltd. During the Taiwan portion of the trip, the group will visit the China Grain Products Research & Development Institute, Formosa Flour Mill, Far East grain elevators at the Taichung Port, Rosa Bakery, and Hsia Fa Flour Mill. Sorenson will speak on HRS gluten quality for noodles and USDA sanitary quality control in HRS wheat production at the U.S. Wheat Healthy Noodle Seminar at the Formosa Flour Mill on August 15. The tour continues until August 17. Northern Crops Institute supports regional agriculture and value-added processing by conducting educational and technical programs that expand and maintain domestic and international markets for northern-grown crops.

August 13, 2002

NCI Technical Director Promotes Wheat in China

Fargo, ND, USA -- Brian Sorenson, Technical Director at Northern Crops Institute and Wheat Quality Specialist for NDSU Extension Service, is in China promoting hard red spring wheat (HRS) on a two-week tour with U.S. Wheat Associates. Sorenson accompanies Mark Lyons, Milling Consultant for U.S. Wheat Associates/Hong Kong, and Victor Qiu, Marketing Consultant for U.S. Wheat Associates/Beijing

Brian Sorenson visits the Great Wall of China.

On August 5, the team met with officials from COFCO, China's grain-purchasing agency. They discussed hard red spring wheat quality and the status of the 2002 crop. "We emphasized the relative good quality of the crop in the central and northern parts of North Dakota and Minnesota, although excessive rains have caused localized crop yield reductions," said Sorenson. "A drought in the south central and western parts of North Dakota, as well as much of South Dakota and Montana, will impact their crops," he told the group.

In Qinhuangdao, they were guests at a traditional Chinese dinner hosted by Mr. Wong, manager of the Pang Thai Flourmill, and his head miller and engineer. Mr. Wong was a member of the Chinese Technical Team that took part in a one-day program at the Northern Crops Institute on June 17, focusing on HRS quality characteristics, dough mixing and bread making demonstrations.

Sorenson explained HRS quality characteristics to 35 members of Pang Thai Flourmill staff and updated them on the 2002 crop. Lyons, Qiu, and Sorenson held a question and answer session with the mill employees, who showed great interest in HRS wheat, especially high protein (14.5-15%) and high protein quality dark northern spring (DNS) wheat. Pang Thai Mill has not yet purchased U.S. HRS wheat, due in part to the Tariff Rate Quota System put in place by the Chinese Government in response to WTO negotiations.

After a visit to the Great Wall of China, the team met with Mr. Liu Yizhou, General Manager of Baiyan Flour Mill in Shunde. They discussed better ways to work with grain trading companies to ensure that future shipments will meet quality specifications.

In China, they will meet with officials of the Guangdong Grain Reserves Corp., Sanshui Feng Shun Flour Mill, Guangzhou Four Gardeners Flour Co., Ltd., Great Wall Food (Shekou) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Southseas Grains Industries, Ltd., and Shekou Lam Soon Flour Mills Co., Ltd.

During the Taiwan portion of the trip, the group will visit the China Grain Products Research & Development Institute, Formosa Flour Mill, Far East grain elevators at the Taichung Port, Rosa Bakery, and Hsia Fa Flour Mill. Sorenson will speak on HRS gluten quality for noodles and USDA sanitary quality control in HRS wheat production at the U.S. Wheat Healthy Noodle Seminar at the Formosa Flour Mill on August 15.

The tour continues until August 17.

Northern Crops Institute supports regional agriculture and value-added processing by conducting educational and technical programs that expand and maintain domestic and international markets for northern-grown crops.