Fourteen teachers and students from the College of Economics and Management of Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) visited Michigan State University in the United States from July 12 to 27 for a summer study program on modern US agriculture, agricultural supply chains and market operations.

The program combined eight lectures, four discussion sessions and visits to nine farms, companies, and institutions. Holly Wang, a professor at Michigan State University's Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, introduced the US agricultural system, policy and supply-chain management. Corey Clark discussed farm finance, agricultural insurance and risk management, while David Ortega focused on agricultural trade, tariffs and exchange-rate changes.

Students also visited farms and agricultural businesses to observe large-scale production, automated sorting, cold storage, and farm management practices.

On July 24, the group visited the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), which offers futures and options for major commodities including corn, wheat, and soybeans. They learned how agricultural futures and options are used to manage price risks.

The program helped students connect classroom learning with agricultural production, supply chains, farm finance and commodity risk management in the United States.

CME Group staff explain the group's history and how the exchange operates. [Photo/new.hzau.edu.cn]

Students visit a blueberry production and processing facility. [Photo/new.hzau.edu.cn]

Students talk with a soybean farmer about large-scale farming and challenges in soil conservation and agricultural sustainability. [Photo/new.hzau.edu.cn]