In late summer of 2011, First Farmers Bank & Trust gained a great deal of media attention for the coordination of an international exploratory visit to the People’s Republic of China. For almost two weeks, a diverse group of FFBT directors, management personnel, select clients, and industry and elected officials traveled in an attempt to better understand the inherent links of developing agricultural processes, technology, and trade with the most populist nation in the world.
The scheduling and logistics of the event were coordinated by FFBT in cooperation with the Chinese government at the direction of key FFBT clients with agricultural investments in varying parts of the country. A comprehensive travel itinerary kept the entire party quite busy and allowed the group to log over 4500 miles in transit and within the country itself. A variety of facilities specializing in food production, processing, and distribution were visited along with tours of cultural and civic entities in different regions to better understand the diverse standard of living that exists in various parts of the country.
“You simply can’t begin to comprehend the future of the global agricultural industry without properly examining the dynamics that exist in the Far East. Given our level of involvement in the ag industry, it is simply a necessity to better understand the impact that China will continue to have on the global marketplace for food" stated Gene Miles, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Farmers Bank & Trust. “We certainly enjoyed the experience, but given our scheduling and travel, this was clearly not a relaxing trip. However, we have a much better understanding of the stage of development that various provinces are in, and we definitely better recognize the relevance of their efforts and commitment to feeding a staggering population. It was incredibly rewarding, and I think it has really given us a perspective on the central differences between cultures in the realm of agriculture".
