The Hill News

While China’s President Hu Jintao is in the United States this week for much anticipated meetings with President Barack Obama, many hardworking Americans will be watching closely and trying to read the tea leaves about what 2011 will bring for this crucial trade relationship. At best, leaders from both sides will acknowledge that increased economic cooperation can benefit both countries. At worst, a series of back-and-forth allegations of protectionism will escalate into a full-scale trade war, jeopardizing the jobs of millions of Americans.

No group has a bigger stake in this outcome than American farmers. Agriculture is one of the leading American industries relying on China for new growth opportunities. U.S. farm exports to China have grown nearly tenfold over the past decade, increasing from $1.5 billion in 2000 to $15 billion in 2010 and making China our largest agriculture export market today. Agricultural goods now account for a significant portion o! f total U.S. exports to China â€" 15 percent as of 2009. 

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