The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) is back from its trade mission to South Korea, led by USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Ag Affairs Alexis Taylor. She shared how American agriculture was on display overseas.
“Our exporters and businesses that we had with us conducted 616 meetings with potential importers and buyers looking to expand the variety of U.S. food and agricultural products that they’re offering to Korean consumers and those participating companies reported 67 million in projected 12-month sales from those meetings.”
Alexis Taylor, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Ag Affairs
On a recent media call, Taylor elaborated on the strength and growing diversity of South Korea’s ag export market.
“Exports of U.S. food and agricultural products to [South] Korea were just over $8 billion last year in 2023, really built upon the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, but also a really strong and strategic bilateral relationship that we have. That’s $8 billion of U.S. food and ag exports. [It] made Korea our fifth largest single-country export market.”
Alexis Taylor, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Ag Affairs
The top five U.S. ag exports to South Korea were beef, pork, seafood, wheat, and dried distillers grain.
Related Stories
Strong pork demand and improving beef exports outside China support protein markets despite ongoing trade barriers.
Market reaction was bearish for corn and soybeans, with analysts noting that abundant supplies amid tepid demand could keep price pressure on agricultural commodities.
Logistics capacity remains available, but winter volatility favors flexible delivery and marketing plans. NGFA President Mike Seyfert provides insight into grain transportation trends, trade policy, and priorities for the year ahead.
Traders are keeping a close eye on China’s soybean purchases as markets track export sales, shipments, and progress toward the ‘magical’ 12 million ton target promised last year.
As domestic production and blending slowed, export demand remained a clear bright spot.
In a post to social media, Trump said Venezuela will buy American agriculture products and will use the money from oil sales to make it happen.
