FAS China: U.S. Turkeys Return to the Spotlight

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ATO Beijing Director Lashonda McLeod Harper and Chargé d’Affaires David Meale pause while carving a U.S. turkey.
ATO Beijing Director Lashonda McLeod Harper and Chargé d’Affaires David Meale pause while carving a U.S. turkey. Along with Sergeant Sabrina Hernandez (not pictured), they created an informative video about Thanksgiving.

After a gap of six years, whole U.S. turkeys are back on the menu in the People’s Republic of China (China). Promotional events were in full swing throughout the month of November across China by the U.S. Agricultural Trade Offices (ATO) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service. ATOs and their partners in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, and Wuhan spotlighted U.S. turkeys (provided by the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council), with recipe ideas at markets, presentations about Thanksgiving dinner traditions and typical side dishes to local shoppers, and a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for key hotel and restaurant interlocutors. These events were designed to increase awareness of the U.S. turkey – and Thanksgiving purchases – with food bloggers and influencers, hospitality managers and hoteliers, regional food importers and distributors, retail market consumers, and even with chefs and culinary schools in China.

U.S. turkeys were not available in China because of a ban on U.S. poultry beginning in January 2015, due to a December 2014 outbreak of avian influenza. The long-awaited return of turkeys was made possible by two major developments in the U.S.-China trade relationship. First, the Government of China lifted its ban on poultry imports from the United States in November 2019, opening the door for American poultry farmers to export more than $1 billion worth of poultry and poultry products each year to the country. Further progress for poultry was achieved in 2020, when the United States and China entered into the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement to address structural barriers to trade and support expanding exports of U.S. food, agriculture and seafood products. China’s government maintains regularly updated lists of U.S. facilities that are eligible to export beef, pork, poultry, seafood, dairy, and infant formula products to its shores. More than 500 U.S poultry facilities are currently eligible to export to China, making more opportunities available for U.S. turkeys to be imported by China. 

Video: Thanksgiving from FAS China

Photo Highlights: FAS Promotes U.S. Turkey in China

Consul General Lisa Heller and ATO Guangzhou organized a holiday-themed promotion with nearly 30 executives from leading hotels in Guangzhou.
On November 4, 2021, Consul General Lisa Heller and ATO Guangzhou organized a holiday-themed promotion with nearly 30 executives from leading hotels in Guangzhou.
ATO Beijing partnered with the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and Jenny Wang grocery store to conduct an in-store demonstration on U.S. turkey.
On November 14, 2021, ATO Beijing partnered with the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and Jenny Wang grocery store to conduct an in-store demonstration on U.S. turkey. Store owner Jenny Wang and ATO Beijing Director Lashonda McLeod Harper delivered remarks before the turkey carving.
ATO Shanghai organized a cooking event at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, with a demonstration led by Consul General James Heller and Michelin three-star chef Philippe Labbé.
On November 16, 2021, ATO Shanghai organized a cooking event at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, with a demonstration led by Consul General James Heller and Michelin three-star chef Philippe Labbé.
Consul General Nancy Abella and ATO Shenyang held a Thanksgiving promotion activity at the Consul General Residence, highlighting U.S. turkey.
On November 18, 2021, Consul General Nancy Abella and ATO Shenyang held a Thanksgiving promotion activity at the Consul General Residence, highlighting U.S. turkey to media in Northeast China.
Five food bloggers were invited to the Consul General Residence to share a traditional American Thanksgiving meal that featured a whole U.S. turkey. California wine was also served.
ATO Shenyang, November 18, 2021: Five food bloggers were invited to the Consul General Residence to share a traditional American Thanksgiving meal that featured a whole U.S. turkey. California wine was also served.
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Consul General Lisa Heller and ATO Guangzhou organized a holiday-themed promotion with nearly 30 executives from leading hotels in Guangzhou.
On November 4, 2021, Consul General Lisa Heller and ATO Guangzhou organized a holiday-themed promotion with nearly 30 executives from leading hotels in Guangzhou.
ATO Beijing partnered with the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and Jenny Wang grocery store to conduct an in-store demonstration on U.S. turkey.
On November 14, 2021, ATO Beijing partnered with the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and Jenny Wang grocery store to conduct an in-store demonstration on U.S. turkey. Store owner Jenny Wang and ATO Beijing Director Lashonda McLeod Harper delivered remarks before the turkey carving.
ATO Shanghai organized a cooking event at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, with a demonstration led by Consul General James Heller and Michelin three-star chef Philippe Labbé.
On November 16, 2021, ATO Shanghai organized a cooking event at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, with a demonstration led by Consul General James Heller and Michelin three-star chef Philippe Labbé.
Consul General Nancy Abella and ATO Shenyang held a Thanksgiving promotion activity at the Consul General Residence, highlighting U.S. turkey.
On November 18, 2021, Consul General Nancy Abella and ATO Shenyang held a Thanksgiving promotion activity at the Consul General Residence, highlighting U.S. turkey to media in Northeast China.
Five food bloggers were invited to the Consul General Residence to share a traditional American Thanksgiving meal that featured a whole U.S. turkey. California wine was also served.
ATO Shenyang, November 18, 2021: Five food bloggers were invited to the Consul General Residence to share a traditional American Thanksgiving meal that featured a whole U.S. turkey. California wine was also served.
Trade Policy, Market Development, Trade Agreements, China Phase One Agreement, Exporting
China, East Asia and the Pacific

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