1a.Objectives (from AD-416):
The objective of this Annex is to continue the Centers for Grazingland Ecosystem Restoration, co-located at the Gansu Agricultural University in Lanzhou, Gansu, People’s Republic of China and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Grazingland Research Laboratory located in El Reno, Oklahoma, United States. Each Center will conduct research, develop scientific tools and technology, and introduce improved methods for rangeland ecosystem restoration integrated with other human pursuits that socially and economically maintain livelihoods and protect the environment through information exchange, education and proactive extension services. This Annex is subject to the terms and conditions of the S & T Agreement and the Protocol. In the event of any conflict between the terms and conditions of the S & T Agreement or the Protocol and this Annex, the S & T Agreement and the Protocol shall govern.

1b.Approach (from AD-416):
Cooperation under this Annex may include, but is not limited to, the following topic areas: (1) Ecosystems and their Sustainable Management, (2) Plant Resources, (3) Forage Lands and their Sustainable Management, (4) Sustainable Grazing Management Systems: Livestock Production and the Environment, and (5) Integrated Management of Weeds and Other Pests.

To generate broad interest and increased activities, the Parties will, upon mutual consent, involve other interested government agencies and the scientific and business communities of both countries in cooperative programs, trade capacity-building activities, and scientific cooperation and exchanges in implementation of this Annex.

3.Progress Report:

Dr. Mike Brown of the ARS-Grazinglands Research Laboratory, El Reno, Oklahoma is the Director of the Sino-US Joint Center for Grazingland Ecosystem Restoration. In October 2011 he visited Lanzhou, worked with 10 students on design and analysis of experiments and publication of research results, taught courses in quantitative genetics and statistics to GAU graduate students, worked on data for SilaMix and SilaMax evaluations, worked with Chinese student at Oklahoma State University in design and implementation of thesis research (Genomics of Fatty Acid Composition of Milk in Beef Cows) and submitted abstract for the national meetings of the American Society of Animal Science (Relationship of Milk Fatty Acids in Beef Cows to Calf Preweaning Gain), worked on implementation of Gansu Beef Cattle Development Project. Gave lecture at CAU, Beijing on U.S. Beef Cattle Industry. May 2012 – Visited Lanzhou, Zhangye, Pingliang, worked with 16 students on design and analysis of experiments and publication of research results, taught courses in quantitative genetics and statistics to GAU graduate students, worked on data for SilaMix and SilaMax evaluations, worked on implementation of Gansu Beef Cattle Development Project.