The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and local session chairs assembled at the Shanghai Liang’an Hotel for the second joint meeting on 12th May 2007. There were 24 attendees including the deputy councilor of the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association (CCOA), the director of the Storage Professional Branch of CCOA (SPB-CCOA), and Chair of CAF2008 LOC, Mr. Liu Xinjiang, the honorary president of CAF2008 LOC, Mr. Jin Zuxun, the Secretary General of CCOA, Mr. Hu Chengmiao, the vice directors of SPB-CCOA, Mr. Chi Jiaping and Mr. Song Wei, and the general manager of the Chengdu branch of the State Grain Reserves Management Co., Mr. Bai Wenbin etc.. The joint meeting was lead by the Administrative Vice Director of SPB-CCOA, Mr. Guo Daolin.

 

First, Mr. Liu Xinjiang made an important speech, pointing out that CAF 2008 is quite important, to host such a large international conference in China will give people who are working in different units of the Chinese grain & oil system a chance for study and a platform for international communications. He also emphasized that this joint meeting has gained great support from the Shanghai branch of the State Grain Reserves Management Co., as the host city of CAF2008, the Chengdu branch of the State Grain Reserves Management Co. also paid much attention to this meeting, the famous expert in grain storage, Mr. Jin Zuxun also came to Shanghai to attend this meeting. Everyone’s enthusiasm and great support gave us the confidence to convene CAF2008 successfully.

 

Mr. Hu Chengmiao praised SPB as one of the best branches of CCOA. He said that under the Chinese Science Association’s agreement, Mr. Liu Xinjiang himself was the leader of the group that applied for CAF 2008 and won the bid. The Chinese Science Association and State Grain Administration are all paying much attention to CAF2008. CCOA will supply full organizational support.

 

Mr. Jin Zuxun praised all the preparatory work to date for CAF2008 and declared his expectations to all session chairs. He recommended a concentrated effort to promote the conference and invite more foreign delegates to attend.

 

As organizer of this joint meeting, the Vice Director of SPB-CCOA, Mr. Chi Jiaping, said the organizer would make every effort to provide satisfactory service to ensure a successful meeting. The general manager of the Chengdu branch of the State Grain Reserves Management Co., Mr. Bai Wenbin, also pointed out that they would try their best to assist in organizing CAF2008 successfully.

 

On this joint meeting, we have had deep and detailed discussions on every preparatory issue for CAF2008, and put forward projects to further promote preparatory work.

 

 

The CAF2008 Secretariat reported on current CAF2008 preparatory work. Each attendee of the joint meeting put forward their questions and suggestions according to the report.

 

(i)        Some delegates questioned the deadline for conference papers—20^th, Jun. 2008, fearing a lack of time to review and edit submissions. After discussion, it was decided that it’s the secretariat’s responsibility to communicate with the chair of each session and other experts responsible for conference paper review, to clearly require completion of their tasks within the scheduled time.

(ii)      In the next phase of preparatory work, the most important focus for the secretariat is how to invite more foreign experts to attend CAF2008.

 

 

(i)        During the joint meeting, 10 local professionals for CAF2008 chairs were consulted and finally confirmed. The list is as follows:

 

 

 

(ii)      During the joint meeting, the responsibilities of each session chair, which were nominated by the secretariat and combined with Dr. Shlomo Navarro’s suggestion, had been discussed. After discussion, the LOC considered that the responsibilities are reasonable.  The committee also reflected on their expectations of session chairs and the honor it was to be selected.  During the next step, we plan to publicize this news in domestic magazines and through other media. Each delegate agreed with all responsibility proposals. Ten local session chairs were willing to take these responsibilities.

 

During discussions, the delegates put forward many constructive suggestions, which are as follows:

 

(a)      Each local chair should write a conference paper, and call for 2-3 conference presentations among domestic units. In the meantime, each local chair has the responsibility to contact that session’s foreign chair and also call for some presentations from abroad. To avoid imbalance among sessions, each session should have at least 6 papers.

(b)     Send invitations to people who have attended the same or similar Controlled Atmosphere and Fumigation conferences through the internet or email. The purpose of this is to allow them time to make any necessary arrangements to attend.

(c)      In order to make sure the review and edit of conference papers is completed in time, domestic and foreign academic conference papers’ submissions should occur earlier than scheduled, especially as some domestic papers may require additional English editing.

(d) Establish close contact between the local and foreign chair of each session as soon as possible. During each session, every chair should monitor the progress of the presentations and keep everything on schedule.  They should try their best to create a stimulating atmosphere for the sessions.

(e) When domestic experts make their speeches and answer corresponding questions, other experts should actively participate.

 

After this joint meeting, formal invitations will be sent in the honor of the CCOA to each Chinese local chair’s respective organization to ask for their support.

 

(iii)     According to Dr. Shlomo Navarro’s suggestions, we have a preliminary list of candidates for foreign chairs for each session, however, this list requires further discussion.

 

 

The secretariat briefly reported on the proposals. The delegates of the joint meeting presented their own opinions on how to convene domestic conference papers and also made the following suggestions:

 

(i)        In order to provide speakers with a framework for their presentations, each session topic should be as detailed as possible (For example: definition of category stored products, new technologies and new equipments or facilities etc.).

(ii)      The State Grain Administration or State Grain Reserves Management Co. should make the major speech on our country’s corresponding research results and future development plans in upcoming conference.

(iii)     Mr. Liu Xinjiang said that, excluding what’s involved in preparing for CAF2008, he will be responsible for calling for some conference papers from branches of the State Grain Reserves Management Co.

(iv)    When calling for conference papers, conveners should try to avoid limiting it to solely the grain industry, they should cover other related industries, such as inspection and quarantine etc..

 

 

We will make every effort to arrange funding to support a few delegates from developing countries who may have difficulties attending otherwise. We also sincerely hope Dr. Shlomo Navarro and other foreign experts can help us find international support.

 

 

On how to strengthen “circulars”’ promotion, in order to convene more attendees, especially from abroad, the delegates of this joint meeting made many constructive suggestions, the summary of them is as follow:

(i)        In China, we should not only promote CAF2008 in grain magazines, but also try to publish news in other related industries’ magazines.

(ii)      Try to ask the CAF Permanent Commissioner for promotional help.

(iii)     Promote through some international conferences (Ex. U.S. Insects Annual Meeting in Dec. of 2007).

(iv)    Invite foreign experts to attend CAF2008 through connections between domestic experts and foreign experts.

(v)      Entrust the Chinese and foreign chair of each session to invite other experts to attend the conference.

(vi)    Collect a list of experts in Controlled Atmosphere and Fumigation in each Stored Products Protection Working Conference, and send circulars to them.

(vii)    Make use of foreign magazines and networks etc. to release news of CAF2008.

(viii) To put out conference news in honor of some corresponding organizations (Ex. Jiangsu Entry-exit Inspection & Quarantine Bureau) in the field which the organizations belong to.

 

During this joint meeting, CAF2008 Chair, Mr. Liu Xinjiang himself awarded each Chinese session chair their Letter of Appointment.

 

 

Regarding simultaneous translation, we should employ domestic experts from related sectors who are quite familiar with academic knowledge and have high level of English language skills; meanwhile, we should also prepare to employ high-level translators from society.       

 

Finally, Mr. Liu Xinjiang concluded this joint meeting. He felt this joint meeting has gained the attention and support of the attendees and that the Shanghai branch of the State Grain Reserves Management Co. has provided warm and careful service and great support for this joint meeting. During this meeting, we carried 8 items into effect, this meeting was convened successfully. He also emphasized 3 things and his requests:

 

The first regards CAF2008 conference presentations. At present, the number of foreign experts who have clearly claimed to attend CAF2008 is at 11. The secretariat should pay more attention to this issue and the session chairs should also try to do more to invite more foreign experts to attend CAF 2008.

 

The second regards each session chair. He hopes everybody will try their best to accomplish their tasks successfully. CAF2008 will build a communication platform for domestic and foreign scholars. Through this conference, we should learn from the foreign countries’ experiences and work hard to make Chinese scientific research, production and education advance to the next level.

 

The third regards the work of the CAF2008 secretariat. The conference secretariat is the key working department of the LOC. It has quite a hard task. From the CAF2008 secretariat’s report on this joint meeting, we can realize that they have made many achievements in the last period. While this is encouraging, there is still much to be done. In the next phase of preparatory work for CAF2008, the conference secretariat should continue to make arrangements for the conference, paying especial attention to the budget allocated for CAF2008.