UW-River Falls signs partnership with China Agricultural University

UW-River Falls, home to one of the largest undergraduate dairy science programs in the United States, signed a collaboration agreement with China Agricultural University (CAU), located in Beijing, during an event at the state capitol on Friday afternoon in the Governor’s Conference Room. Representatives from UWRF and CAU were joined by Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Deputy Secretary Jeff Lyon, who is an alumnus of UWRF and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Director for Wisconsin Stan Gruszynski.

The new partnership is an outgrowth of meetings held in China in June as part of a DATCP visit to promote Wisconsin’s rich dairy industry and related resources. Business and industry leaders from last summer’s visit were also on hand to welcome the more than 40 delegates from China that traveled with CAU to Madison for the signing and the World Dairy Expo.

“Because of the high quality of both of our universities, and the strength we both have in agriculture programs, including dairy science, this agreement holds great promise for our students and faculty, the state of Wisconsin, China and the global agriculture industry,” said UWRF Chancellor Dean Van Galen. “I wish to communicate our excitement for the opportunities for intellectual exchanges, for opportunities to enroll students between our two institutions, and to exchange faculty.”