NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD News) — The United States imports hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of agricultural products, but relatively little comes from the major crops that dominate American farm production.
USDA projects 2026-27 imports of about 25 million bushels of corn and 25 million bushels of soybeans. Those volumes are tiny compared with domestic production and use. Cotton imports are also minimal at about 10,000 bales. Wheat is different, with imports projected near 140 million bushels, equal to roughly 13 percent of expected domestic use.
Most agricultural imports are consumer-ready foods, including fruits, vegetables, coffee, beverages, and products that supplement domestic supplies or provide year-round availability.
Meat imports also vary sharply. USDA projects 6.1 billion pounds of beef imports in 2026, equal to about 21 percent of expected domestic beef use. Pork imports are projected to be near 1.15 billion pounds, or about 5 percent of domestic use. Broiler imports are only about 135 million pounds, less than 1 percent of domestic consumption.
The majority of the beef imported is lean trim cuts, which are blended with domestic trim to produce ground beef. Currently, the U.S. cannot produce enough lean beef to meet the insatiable demand of American consumers. Without the imports, analysts say the value of trimmings would plummet.
The import story is therefore less about replacing U.S. grain, cotton, pork, or poultry production and more about supplementing beef supplies, filling seasonal food demand, and providing products not widely produced domestically.
