The ag trade deficit is projected to rise again this year. New numbers out this week show it has taken big leaps over the last couple of seasons.
USDA shows the ag trade deficit will land in the red at $49.5 billion for this fiscal year, which ends in September, and that is up from $49 billion projected back in February. Last year, the deficit was just shy of $32 billion, and it was $17 billion in 2023. In 2021, the ag trade deficit was just $2 billion.
The updates come as USDA lowered its forecast for exports of livestock products, canceling out increases in oilseeds and grains.
Before leaving her trade mission in Rome this week, Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins took to X, commenting on those new numbers. She says the time has come to shrink that gap and open up new markets around the world. She adds that additional bilateral trade deals are on the horizon for U.S. row croppers. Secretary Rollins left Italy yesterday, but has plans for more trips to India, Vietnam, and Japan next month.
More flexible export financing could strengthen demand in emerging markets and support higher U.S. agricultural exports.
February 06, 2026 07:00 AM
·
Incremental trade clarity with India could support select U.S. ag exports, but major gains hinge on future market-access talks.
February 06, 2026 06:00 AM
·
The phone call injected optimism into the soybean market, but actual Chinese buying and its timing will ultimately determine the extent of U.S. agricultural export benefits.
February 05, 2026 10:41 AM
·
Mexico has fallen behind by several hundred thousand acre-feet in required water deliveries to the United States, a shortfall that has had devastating consequences across the Rio Grande Valley.
February 04, 2026 12:23 PM
·
Purdue University Professor of Agricultural Economics Dr. Jim Mintert shares a closer look at farmer sentiment and the key issues shaping the agricultural economy in January.
February 04, 2026 10:53 AM
·
Stronger U.S.-Guatemala trade rules favor dependable, regionally integrated supply chains — rewarding execution and commitment over cost-only sourcing.
February 04, 2026 09:00 AM
·
