With a view to learning the successful US practice in S&T research, pilot test and engineering of agro-products processing, enhancing the cooperation and exchange with renowned US research institutes and institutions of higher learning in the agro-products processing industry, learning about the latest developments in scientific research in agro-products processing, as well as the approaches, mechanism and experience of the government in promoting innovation, the delegation led by Dr. Dai Xiaofeng paid a visit during the period from September 17^th to 22^nd, 2012, upon the invitation of the Eastern Regional Research Center of Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Purdue University, Michigan State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

    During the visit, Dr. Dai Xiaofeng provided an introduction on the positioning, organizational structure, research fields, scientific research platform and main progress in scientific research of IFST. He hopes that the two parties will enhance mutual visits and academic exchanges, convene bilateral and multilateral academic conferences for the subjects of common interest on agro-products processing, jointly apply for and initiate international cooperation projects, build joint research centers, and establish cooperation mechanism with long-time effects. Dr. Dai Xiaofeng also provided a presentation on the “One Thousand Foreign Experts Scheme” and “High-end Foreign Experts Program” in China, and sincerely invited relevant experts to join these programs in cooperative research with IFST. Through discussions, IFST and the visited institutions selected the key cooperation areas of grain and oil processing, meat processing, dairy products processing, agro-products process quality and safety, etc, and finalized the issues related to signing of bilateral cooperation agreements. The delegation visited the pilot test labs for agro-products processing of the various institutes and had in-depth discussions on the laboratory development mode, operation mode, task assignment, etc.

 

    During the visit, Dr. Dai Xiaofeng and Deborah L.Watson with the Agricultural Research Service Bureau, USDA signed the S&T Cooperation Agreement between IFST and USDA Eastern Regional Research Center. The delegation also reached an agreement on the intent of cooperation with the Department of Food Science at Purdue University, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the Michigan State University and the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.