According to the USDA’s “Fact Sheet: The Importance of Agricultural Trade,” in comparison to other sectors of the U.S. economy, the agricultural industry is twice as reliant on overseas markets. The United States is the largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, and is a highly competitive producer of many products. And U.S. agriculture is one of the few sectors of our economy that consistently enjoys a trade surplus.
Historically, U.S. imports have increased steadily, as demand for diversification in food expands. U.S. consumers benefit from imports because imports expand food variety, stabilize year-round supplies of fresh fruits and vegetables, and temper increases in food prices. In addition, with the productivity of U.S. agriculture growing faster than domestic food and fiber demand, U.S. farmers and agricultural firms rely heavily on export markets to sustain prices and revenues.
Expanding existing market access and opening new markets under future trade agreements will significantly boost U.S. agricultural export sales. Dozens of previous agreements have opened markets, reduced unfair competition and introduced more effective dispute-settlement procedures in global trade. Export gains attributed solely to trade liberalization since 1985 are conservatively estimated by USDA's Economic Research Service at $3.5 billion a year.
Here are some specific examples of how past trade liberalization has increased U.S. agricultural exports:
Moving the U.S. Agriculture Industry Forward with Trade
On behalf of the U.S. agricultural industry, the Trade for America Coalition will continue to work with Congress this year to:
For more information about USDA, please go to: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome