Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has announced he will lead a trade mission to China and Japan in mid-November. He was joined at a news conference Monday by Iowa Beef Industry Council Executive Director Chris Freland. She says the news of China opening its market to U.S. beef after being closed since 2003 will lay the foundation for their trip, but several commodities will be represented.

Freland says there are several steps that need to take place before U.S. beef can be shipped to China and hopefully this trade mission will help define those trade specifications.

She says China is a huge market opportunity for U.S. and Iowa beef and they hope to be able to take advantage of it to help increase beef exports.

Freland says the timing of the China market opening is ideal with the cattle market in a downtrend and growing beef production.