On June 1，the inauguration ceremony of Sino-Dutch Livestock Waste Recycling Center was held in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) headquarters. Vice President Li Jinxiang and Martin Scholten, General Director of the Wageningen UR Animal Sciences Group signed the MOU on behalf of respective institution. The ceremony was chaired by Prof. Zhang Yanqing, Director General of Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture (IEDA), CAAS and attended by more than 60 representatives from government, research institute, universities and private sector of both nations.

Vice President Li Jinxiang pointed out that in the modern transition of husbandry industry in China, large scale farms have developed rapidly. Livestock manure has become the main source of diffused agricultural pollution and brought great challenge to the sustainable development of husbandry industry. The achievements of Dutch husbandry industry is very impressive，especially in the chain management covering from manure storage, transportation, harmless treatment and commercial utilization. He hopes the newly established Sino-Dutch Livestock Waste Recycling Center will bring together excellent scientists from both countries to work together, to introduce and localize the good experience of the Netherlands so as to realize the upgrading of the husbandry industry.

Mr. Martin olde Monnikhof, Agricultural Counselor of the Netherlands in China said, technology is always the key factor for the Netherlands to meet the strict EU environmental legislations while keeping high stock density. In view of difference of the two countries, he wishes the right technologies and other factors contribute to the case of the Netherlands can be applied to solve the problem of China via the projects of the newly established center. He also hopes companies from both countries can be actively involved, providing driven force for technology development.

In the ceremony, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment Protection briefed the policies and initiatives of Chinese government in controlling and recycling of livestock waste in China. Prof. Dong Hongmin, Deputy Director General of IEDA introduced the working plan and management structure of this joint center.

The Sino-Dutch Livestock Waste Recycling Center will be hosted in the IEDA of CAAS. Recent years, IEDA has seen very fruitful achievements in the study of recycling of animal manure and was awarded many prizes including the Second Prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award. IEDA also led the joint efforts of more than 60 institutes in developing the first pollutant generation coefficient and discharge coefficient in animal production in China. And the technologies and solutions developed by IEDA have been used in more than 200 livestock farms. To ignite the innovation vigor, IEDA worked closely with agricultural firms and established several industrial development bases to effectively boost the cooperation between industry and research institutions.