OCTOBER 14 — A delegation of China’s Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) visited the United States on a study tour in October 2011. They visited Landesa’s global headquarters in Seattle, WA and attended training sessions taught by Landesa’s staff attorneys, local officials in Skagit Country, WA and professors from the University of Washington. The delegation consisted of two dozen senior officials from China’s Ministry of Land and Resources and various provinces.

The trainings covered a variety of topics ranging from farmland preservation and land use controls in the U.S., land registration, zoning and urban planning, eminent domain systems in the U.S., and international experience in rural-urban integration. The trainings were intended to give MLR officials specific skills to implement in their future work.  The delegation also visited relevant departments of the Skagit County government and gained firsthand experience in how local governments in the U.S. function and operate.

In China, the MLR plays a crucial role in farmland preservation and protection of farmers’ land rights. Under the law, the ministry is designated to supervise the enforcement of land and resources management laws and the implementation of land use plans and to protect the lawful rights and interests of the owners and users of land. It organizes the arbitration of major disputes over use rights and ownership of land and investigates major law-breaking cases. Through its enhanced partnership with the Ministry, Landesa intends to further consolidate its position to advance farmers’ tenure security to farmland in China.