A few years ago, I made my first trip to Hulunbuir, a beautiful grassland in the far Northeast of China. There I met some wonderful colleagues, and fell in love with the region.

I also got my first taste of what would become my current work on China’s animal industries, especially cattle, beef and dairy.

China currently has the world’s third largest cattle population, is an immense consumer of beef, and is on the way to becoming the largest market for dairy. This story is one of changing tastes and priorities, productive and ecological transition, state investment and private enterprise.

After spending some time to learn the basics, I now have forthcoming publications on the history of three beef production chains, and multifaceted study of the production, consumption and culture of dairy. I also have a few articles in the pipeline on condensed milk, and one that attempts to estimate meat consumption in the early twentieth century.

I will be spending the second half of 2018 as a fellow in Fudan finishing up a study on the Dengchuan dairy in Yunnan.