UW-River Falls: Announces new collaboration with China

CONTACT: Carolyn Brady, carolyn.j.brady@uwrf, (715)425-0683

Document Signing Kicks-off International Dairy Science Initiative Underway at UW-River Falls

The University of Wisconsin–River Falls (UWRF), home to one of the largest undergraduate Dairy Science programs in the U.S., has announced a collaboration with China Agricultural University (CAU), located in Beijing. Both institutions are recognized as among the finest in their respective countries for quality and strength of programming in Dairy Science and related fields.

Representatives from UWRF and CAU were joined by Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Deputy Secretary Jeff Lyon, an alumna from River Falls, and Stan Gruszynski, USDA Rural Development Director for Wisconsin, for a document signing event at the State Capitol on October 5th in the Governor’s Conference Room at the State Capitol in Madison.

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 on hand to welcome more than 40 delegates from China that have traveled with CAU to Madison for the signing, and to attend 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 UW-River Falls Chancellor Dean Van Galen. “This collaboration is a reminder of the importance of higher education, in China, in the United States, and elsewhere, to the success of agriculture around the world.”

Global partnerships and international education have been identified as key components of a new intuitional plan announced by UW-River Falls Chancellor Dean Van Galen in late August, at the start of the 2012-2013 academic year.

For additional information, please contact Carolyn Brady, UW-River Falls International Outreach at carolyn.j.brady@uwrf or (715)425-0683.