China’s Food and Agriculture: Issues for the 21 st Century. Fred Gale, editor, Market and Trade Economics Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 775. Abstract China’s impact on world agricultural markets in coming decades will depend on many factors. Growing income and transition to modern urban lifestyles will increase demand for all foods, but demand will shift toward meat and high-value products. WTO accession may increase openness of China’s agricultural trade and allow more imports. An understanding of geographic variations of consumption, production, trade, and policy is critical to understanding the vast China market. Development of transportation infrastructure and market channels will make it easier for food products to reach consumers. China’s approach to biotechnology and its reform of institutions for allocating land, labor, and water inputs have important implications for agricultural productive capacity. Keywords: China, food, agriculture, production, consumption, regions, interna- tional trade, biotechnology, livestock, land, irrigation, retail, transportation, marketing, rural development, labor markets, statistics. Acknowledgments Praveen Dixit of USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) played a key role in conceptualizing and overseeing this report. Bill Coyle, John Dunmore, and John Dyck of ERS,Lynn Alfalla of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, Carol Goodloe of USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist,Eric Wailes and Frank Fuller of the University of Arkansas, and Brad Gilmour of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada provided valuable comments on the entire report. Comments by John Beghin of Iowa State University, D. Gale Johnson of the University of Chicago, and Carl Pray of Rutgers University improved the quality of several articles. Special thanks are extended to John Weber, Wynnice Pointer-Napper, and Victor Phillips for editorial and design assistance. 1800 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20036-5831 April 2002