Rancher Jay Wolf of Bartlett, Nebraska, shows off some of his cattle. [Photo by Amy He/China Daily]

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts was excited when he saw off the first shipment of US beef products on a flight to a client in Shanghai on June 14. It came after a 14-year absence in the market, and Ricketts realized that it signaled a new era for his state's agricultural sector.

"Having a great market like China open up for us was really fantastic news for our ranchers here, and an incredibly exciting opportunity for our state," Ricketts said in an interview in his office on the day of that flight.

"If we can achieve the same sort of market share in China as we've achieved in other countries, that could mean a potential 20 percent increase in the exports of beef from Nebraska, potentially [adding] another $200 million to the economy for us," the governor said. "This is a big deal for us."