" When Branstad was receiving a Chinese trade delegation as Iowa governor in March, he remarked that he would like to be able to enjoy a bite of US beef at the US embassy in BeijingMeetings are planned for the delegationLD乐动 with Chinese government officials, industry partners and Branstad in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an, Shaanxi provinceIowa Governor Kim Reynolds is leading a trade mission to China that will feature officials from groups representing the state's major agricultural producersReynolds, who succeeded Terry Branstad as governor when he became the US ambassador to China on May 22, noted that agricultural "is the backbone of Iowa's economy and contributes about $112 billion to our economy annually""Relationships are especially important in China, and we are fortunate that Governor Branstad welcomed a then local agricuLD乐动ltural official from China over 30 years ago into Iowa named Xi Jinping, who is now the nation's president," said ReynoldsLast year, nearly $6 billion worth of US pork was exported to China, including more than $1 billion from Iowa