The U.S. is importing more food this year. The USDA says agriculture imports are up 21 percent and valued well over $110 billion. Export values are up 12 percent from last year.
Bart Kenner, a USDA Economist, shares what exactly the U.S. is buying.
“We’re still importing a lot of red meats. Beef, veal, and pork were all up about 50 percent by value.”
U.S. imports are growing faster right now than the value of exports, but there is still an agriculture trade surplus of about $9 billion. That number is down 43 percent from last year, though.
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U.S. is boosting foreign food and ag purchases, up 21%
It was the best April ever for U.S. ag product export values
Ag exports helped support more than one million jobs in 2020
