Statistics on agricultural trade

The leading U.S. agricultural exports are grains and feeds, soybeans, livestock products, tree nuts, fruits, vegetables, and other horticultural products. The leading U.S. imports are horticultural and tropical products. Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and East Asia are major U.S. trade partners.

U.S. agricultural trade rose to record levels in 2021

Total U.S. agricultural trade rose to record levels in 2021. U.S. agricultural exports were valued at $177 billion in 2021, an 18 percent increase relative to 2020. Imports grew by almost 17 percent in 2021 to $171 billion. While the United States typically exports more agricultural goods by value than it imports, from 2012–21, imports grew more rapidly than exports (driven in part by strong domestic economic growth and consumer preferences for year-round produce selections).

U.S. agricultural export value increased to record high in 2021

The value of U.S. agricultural exports increased in 2021, driven by gains across all major commodity groups. As a share of total export value, the top 4 categories equally accounted for about 90 percent of total exports between 2017 and 2021. These categories include grains and feeds; oilseeds and products; animals (e.g. livestock and poultry), meats, and products; and horticultural products. The grains and feeds category recorded the largest year-to-year growth, increasing 40 percent from 2020 to $43 billion in 2021. The animals, meats, and products category followed this growth, growing 22 percent from 2020 to $39 billion in 2021.

Horticultural products drive total U.S. agricultural import growth

The value of U.S. agricultural imports grew by 17 percent in 2021 from 2020, with gains in all major commodity groups. Fifty-two percent of U.S. agricultural imports in 2021 were horticultural products, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, wine, spirits, essential oils, and nursery stock. Sugar and tropical products, such as coffee and cocoa, comprised 15 percent of agricultural imports in 2021. Other product groups—such as oilseeds, grains and feeds, and livestock and meats—also contributed to import growth from 2001 to 2021.

The top 5 U.S. agricultural trading partners accounted for 61 percent of U.S. agricultural exports in 2021

China was the largest market for U.S. agricultural exports in 2021, followed by Canada and Mexico. Exports to China grew 25 percent between 2020 and 2021, growing significantly following trade disputes between the United States and China that led to a steep reduction in oilseed exports (among other commodities) in 2018. Japan and the European Union are also among the top five agricultural trading partners with the United States. While their shares of U.S. exports have decreased since 2001, they remain the fourth and fifth largest export markets. The top five U.S. agricultural trading partners accounted for 61 percent of U.S. agricultural exports in 2021.

Canada and the European Union are the two largest suppliers of U.S. agricultural imports, followed by Mexico

Canada and Mexico are the United States' first and third largest suppliers of agricultural products (averaging $30.9 billion and $25.5 billion in 2017–21, respectively). Mexico supplied the United States with 31 percent of imported horticultural products including fruit, vegetables, and alcoholic beverages. Canada is also a source of horticultural products, as well as grains, and meats. The European Union is the second largest import source, accounting for $28.0 billion worth of U.S. agricultural imports in 2017–21, with horticultural products such as wine, spirits, and essential oils accounting for more than 60 percent the value. South America (led by Brazil, Chile, and Colombia) averaged $15.6 billion in U.S. imports from 2017–21, consisting largely of horticultural, sugar, and tropical products in which the region has a comparative or seasonal advantage.

East Asia and North America remain top regions for U.S. agricultural exports

From 2017 to 2021, East Asia and North America combined to account for 60 percent of U.S. agricultural exports. East Asia (led by China, Japan, and South Korea) was the largest market, with a collective 31 percent share. The top three commodity groups exported to East Asia include oilseeds, grains, and meats. The share of U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico has increased and accounted for 28 percent of world exports over the 5 years from 2017–21. Southeast Asia (led by the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia) is the third largest regional destination, followed closely by the European Union.

Exports expand the market for U.S. agricultural products

The United States tends to export a higher share of non-manufactured products than manufactured products. Non-manufactured products include food grains such as rice and wheat, oilseeds—and tree nuts such as almonds. The United States exports a lower share of manufactured products—such as sweeteners, bakery products, and dairy products. The overall export share of U.S. agricultural production in 2021 was 20 percent, the level of which has remained relatively constant since 2001.

U.S. consumer preference for high-value products is reflected in imports

The U.S. share of agricultural consumption sourced from imports tends to be higher for higher-value agricultural product groups. This higher share is due to numerous factors—including the relative competitiveness in production, seasonal availability, consumer preferences, and others. Sweeteners, and processed sugar, and confections are groups of products where the United States is reliant on imports. Fruits, nuts, and vegetables are also frequently imported. The United States tends to have a lower reliance on imports for unprocessed commodities such as feed grains, livestock, and oilseeds. The total import share of consumption across all food and beverages between 2011 and 2021 was 15 percent, steadily growing over the period.

Last updated: Monday, May 08, 2023

Source: USDA

Why is the United States' agriculture ranked first in the world?

Overview of Agriculture in the United States

America boasts the world's most advanced and modern agricultural industry. Agricultural laborers make up around 1% of the 322 million-person population. In terms of the labor force, agricultural workers in the United States accounted for only 0.7% of the total US employment in 2014 (155,421,000 individuals).

The total area of the United States is 9,161,923 km2, with cultivable land accounting for 18.1%. According to US Department of Agriculture statistics, the US had 2,109,363 total farms in February 2014, with an average area of 174 hectares per farm.

In 2012, the overall value of agricultural products reached 394.6 billion USD, a 33% increase over 2007, with crop products accounting for 219.6 billion USD and livestock products accounting for 171.7 billion USD.

The United States is the world's top importer and exporter of agricultural products, accounting for an estimated 18% of global agricultural trade. From 1960 to 2014, the United States consistently had a trade surplus in agriculture items. Agricultural exports, for example, were anticipated to reach 149.5 billion USD in 2014, accounting for more than 10% of the total export turnover of all products, and the agricultural trade surplus was more than 38.5 billion USD.

Reasons for a thriving agricultural industry

Below are some reasons why America has such a small percentage of farmers compared to the total workforce yet has such a powerful agricultural industry.

1- The government's agricultural assistance policy

The agricultural industry in the United States has thrived as a result of the US government's agricultural development programs. From the outset, the government enacted a land law in 1862 that granted free land to those who came to live and work on vacant property in the American West, allowing some farmers to easily settle down and start a business.

The agricultural industry in the United States has thrived as a result of the US government's agricultural development programs. From the outset, the government enacted a land law in 1862 that granted free land to those who came to live and work on vacant property in the American West, allowing some farmers to easily settle down and start a business.

The Agricultural Development Service was established by the United States Congress in 1914 to advise farmers on the application of fertilizer and the subsequent stages of the process to increase agricultural output. The Ministry of Agriculture is in charge of innovative research, fertilizer production to boost grain yields, hybrid types for stronger plants, and treatments to preserve and cure plants and animals, disease prevention, and a variety of additional pest-control approaches.

President Herbert Hoover established a federal agricultural board in 1929 to protect farmers' economic security. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the installation of a price subsidy system for farmers at a price comparable to the market's regular stable conditions. Between 1933 and 1996, the government lent money to farmers for farming purposes, and farmers had the right to repay the debt at the price indicated in the contract. Furthermore, farmers had the right to sell surplus products to the government when agricultural prices were high, and to food trading companies when agricultural prices were low.

Furthermore, the government promotes programs to protect and nourish reserve land. Large-scale intervention in the agriculture industry in the United States persisted until the late 1990s. Following that, agricultural price subsidies remained modest, and the government concentrated on the strategic reserve program, natural disaster prevention, environmental protection, and scientific research in order to support the US agricultural industry successfully.

The government is currently focusing on agricultural exports and is particularly concerned about the sustainability of agricultural labor. The Senate recently passed an immigration measure aimed at ensuring that there are enough employees for agriculture, particularly during harvest season, livestock raising, and agricultural product production for export. This statute also allows persons working in the US agricultural industry who do not have valid documentation to come to the US.

It is due to these successful support measures that the US agricultural industry has achieved its current success.

2 - Farmers' independence and initiative

From a historical standpoint, American farmers are viewed as self-sufficient, industrious, innovative, patient, and enthusiastic. At first, these farmers arrived in America with little, working on property they did not own.

In 1790, farmers comprised about 90% of the population in the United States. By 1920, American farmers accounted for 30.8% of the total population, by 1960, they accounted for 8.3%, and as of 2014, the estimated number of farmers Americans actually working on the fields accounted for only about 1% of the total American population.

These farmers own and operate small and medium-sized family farms or self-owned businesses, accounting for up to 95% of the total cultivated agricultural land area, with large corporations owning the remaining 5%.

American farmers are highly skilled in the use of machinery, have extensive understanding of agriculture and economics, and many hold university degrees. They have concentrated on upgrading farming and cattle-raising techniques, resulting in a significant boost in agricultural output. Today's image of the American farmer is that of an agricultural worker who often wears jeans and checkered shirts and resides in fully equipped apartments.

Agricultural laborers in the United States earn a good living; the current average compensation of an American agricultural worker is $61,000 per year. In 1960, the average income of a farming family was $4,654 per household. The average salary in 2012 was $108,814, an increase of 23.38 times over 52 years.

3 - Utilize contemporary agricultural production methods and techniques.

America places a specific emphasis on the mechanization of farming, which involves employing technology to replace human and animal labor. Machinery expenditures constitute a significant component of total investment costs in agricultural production. Mechanization involves not only increasing the number of machines in the field, but also focusing on combining features to build entire machines, such as merging tractors with plows and planting machines, or initiatives on machines that can farm in terrain that humans cannot.

Machines are used in almost every aspect of agricultural production, from tillage to planting, fertilizing, irrigating, and harvesting. Aerial spraying of insecticides is also employed by farmers, as is computer monitoring of harvest data. Farmers now often drive tractors with air-conditioned cabs, equipped with quick and expensive plows, cultivators, and harvesters.

It took four farmers at the turn of the twentieth century to produce enough food to feed ten people. Today, one American farmer can feed 100 Americans and 32 people in other nations across the world.

With a large amount of farmed land, the use of modern agricultural tools and techniques has resulted in a significant increase in labor productivity. Furthermore, while there are floods and droughts, there is generally enough rainwater, river water, and groundwater to support irrigation in water-stressed areas. The western area of the Central United States is rich in agricultural land. As a result, when visitors come to America, they often see large, green, expansive fields of maize, soybeans, wheat, oranges, and grass fields.

For the reasons stated above, the US agricultural industry has made great strides, playing an important role in the US economy by providing abundant food at low prices and creating more jobs in processing industries, machinery manufacturing, and agricultural export services to countries all over the world.

Source: General Information

History of Organic Agriculture

The Origins and Evolution of Organic Agriculture 

The concept of organic agriculture was developed in the early 1900s by pioneers such as Franklin Hiram King, Rudolf Steiner, Robert Rodale, Sir Albert Howard, Eva Balfour, and others who believed that the use of animal feces (often made into organic fertilizer), cover crops, crop rotation, and biologically based pest control would lead to a better farming system. Their organic agriculture idea books were released in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The books gradually perfected and defined biological movement and organic agriculture.

EVE BALFOUR (1898-1990) British organic farming pioneer 
on a Ferguson tractor about 1925 

As the actions of the pioneers expanded, a group of farmers in Europe and America began to grow in this direction. The organic producer model emerged in the 1940s and 1950s. In Europe, America, and Australia, the issue of inspection and supervision was raised and implemented, and organic standards and systems were established.

The proponent of the organic movement label was Rudolf Steiner, and it was likely the first organic label ever developed. In 1967, the Soil Association, with the help of Ms. Eva Balfour, published the world's first standards for organic agricultural production. In 1970, organic products were introduced to the world for the first time.

In the 1970s, various farm groups in the United States adopted the principles of organic agricultural production standards. Many organizations have created their own certification systems to ensure that organic products are produced in accordance with their requirements.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, certification agencies grew and expanded beyond national boundaries. Many accreditation programs were developed, such as producer accreditation. Most of these organizations engaged in activities other than certification. In the mid-1980s, a number of specialized certification agencies were formed, such as SKAL (Netherlands), KRAV (Sweden), and FVO (USA). Finally, in 1990, with the birth of the regulation, Regulations in Europe on organic certification became a concern towards commercialization, and certification companies were born.

Certification agencies were developed, organic production standards and regulations were perfected, and the organic production movement grew worldwide. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) has established fundamental standards and an accreditation program that is recognized as a common international guide to its standards and certification systems. Countries can be built on organic production.

Organic production laws are currently in place. Organic production regulations were enacted in the US states of Oregon and California in 1970. In 1980, a variety of new organic products began to be introduced into Europe, and organic trade bodies in the United States expanded and soon crossed borders. In the United States, a law governing organic food production was enacted in 1990. Finally, the US Department of Agriculture established organic food regulations in December 2000, which went into effect in October 2000. 2002. In Europe, rule 2092/91 regulating organic foods was passed in 1991. Since 1992, countries have worked together to produce the Codex Alimentarius standard, which guides organic agriculture. Codex Alimentarius participates in the FAO/WTO mission on food standards. In 1999, the Codex Alimentarius rules for organic goods were adopted.

The global state of organic agriculture development

Organic farms grew substantially in most European countries during the 1990s. The overall area of organic production increased by 46.2% between 1988 and 1999. In recent years, Europe's total yearly organic area has expanded by an average of 30% per year. Three million hectares (survey data) were managed with more than 100,000 organic farms in numerous European nations at the beginning of the 2000s, accounting for up to 2% of agricultural land. Organic farming expanded from 830 farms in 1990 to 5,300 farms producing organic crops in 2000.

Market necessities

Organic product manufacturing continues to account for a very modest part of total food demand in the market. In most countries, the organic food market share is roughly 1% of absolute food sold. According to the results in the table below, Austria and Switzerland account for around 1.8 - 2%. Danish organic products account for 3% of the food in circulation.

With the demands of the organic market in Europe, America, and Japan, developing countries must direct production activity to meet these demands. According to the data in the table above, it is projected that organic food and beverage sales in 2010 increased the yearly organic market by 10-25% depending on the country. The organic food market was worth about 16 billion USD in 2000, and the global market is expected to be worth between 61 and 94 billion USD in 2010.

Reference source:

1. FAO

2. Dr. Le Van Hung - Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam

3. Photo: Alamy, internet

Why is the United States' agriculture ranked first in the world?

Overview of Agriculture in the United States

America boasts the world's most advanced and modern agricultural industry. Agricultural laborers make up around 1% of the 322 million-person population. In terms of the labor force, agricultural workers in the United States accounted for only 0.7% of the total US employment in 2014 (155,421,000 individuals).

The total area of the United States is 9,161,923 km2, with cultivable land accounting for 18.1%. According to US Department of Agriculture statistics, the US had 2,109,363 total farms in February 2014, with an average area of 174 hectares per farm.

In 2012, the overall value of agricultural products reached 394.6 billion USD, a 33% increase over 2007, with crop products accounting for 219.6 billion USD and livestock products accounting for 171.7 billion USD.

The United States is the world's top importer and exporter of agricultural products, accounting for an estimated 18% of global agricultural trade. From 1960 to 2014, the United States consistently had a trade surplus in agriculture items. Agricultural exports, for example, were anticipated to reach 149.5 billion USD in 2014, accounting for more than 10% of the total export turnover of all products, and the agricultural trade surplus was more than 38.5 billion USD.

Reasons for a thriving agricultural industry

Below are some reasons why America has such a small percentage of farmers compared to the total workforce yet has such a powerful agricultural industry.

1- The government's agricultural assistance policy

The agricultural industry in the United States has thrived as a result of the US government's agricultural development programs. From the outset, the government enacted a land law in 1862 that granted free land to those who came to live and work on vacant property in the American West, allowing some farmers to easily settle down and start a business.

The agricultural industry in the United States has thrived as a result of the US government's agricultural development programs. From the outset, the government enacted a land law in 1862 that granted free land to those who came to live and work on vacant property in the American West, allowing some farmers to easily settle down and start a business.

The Agricultural Development Service was established by the United States Congress in 1914 to advise farmers on the application of fertilizer and the subsequent stages of the process to increase agricultural output. The Ministry of Agriculture is in charge of innovative research, fertilizer production to boost grain yields, hybrid types for stronger plants, and treatments to preserve and cure plants and animals, disease prevention, and a variety of additional pest-control approaches.

President Herbert Hoover established a federal agricultural board in 1929 to protect farmers' economic security. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the installation of a price subsidy system for farmers at a price comparable to the market's regular stable conditions. Between 1933 and 1996, the government lent money to farmers for farming purposes, and farmers had the right to repay the debt at the price indicated in the contract. Furthermore, farmers had the right to sell surplus products to the government when agricultural prices were high, and to food trading companies when agricultural prices were low.

Furthermore, the government promotes programs to protect and nourish reserve land. Large-scale intervention in the agriculture industry in the United States persisted until the late 1990s. Following that, agricultural price subsidies remained modest, and the government concentrated on the strategic reserve program, natural disaster prevention, environmental protection, and scientific research in order to support the US agricultural industry successfully.

The government is currently focusing on agricultural exports and is particularly concerned about the sustainability of agricultural labor. The Senate recently passed an immigration measure aimed at ensuring that there are enough employees for agriculture, particularly during harvest season, livestock raising, and agricultural product production for export. This statute also allows persons working in the US agricultural industry who do not have valid documentation to come to the US.

It is due to these successful support measures that the US agricultural industry has achieved its current success.

2 - Farmers' independence and initiative

From a historical standpoint, American farmers are viewed as self-sufficient, industrious, innovative, patient, and enthusiastic. At first, these farmers arrived in America with little, working on property they did not own.

In 1790, farmers comprised about 90% of the population in the United States. By 1920, American farmers accounted for 30.8% of the total population, by 1960, they accounted for 8.3%, and as of 2014, the estimated number of farmers Americans actually working on the fields accounted for only about 1% of the total American population.

These farmers own and operate small and medium-sized family farms or self-owned businesses, accounting for up to 95% of the total cultivated agricultural land area, with large corporations owning the remaining 5%.

American farmers are highly skilled in the use of machinery, have extensive understanding of agriculture and economics, and many hold university degrees. They have concentrated on upgrading farming and cattle-raising techniques, resulting in a significant boost in agricultural output. Today's image of the American farmer is that of an agricultural worker who often wears jeans and checkered shirts and resides in fully equipped apartments.

Agricultural laborers in the United States earn a good living; the current average compensation of an American agricultural worker is $61,000 per year. In 1960, the average income of a farming family was $4,654 per household. The average salary in 2012 was $108,814, an increase of 23.38 times over 52 years.

3 - Utilize contemporary agricultural production methods and techniques.

America places a specific emphasis on the mechanization of farming, which involves employing technology to replace human and animal labor. Machinery expenditures constitute a significant component of total investment costs in agricultural production. Mechanization involves not only increasing the number of machines in the field, but also focusing on combining features to build entire machines, such as merging tractors with plows and planting machines, or initiatives on machines that can farm in terrain that humans cannot.

Machines are used in almost every aspect of agricultural production, from tillage to planting, fertilizing, irrigating, and harvesting. Aerial spraying of insecticides is also employed by farmers, as is computer monitoring of harvest data. Farmers now often drive tractors with air-conditioned cabs, equipped with quick and expensive plows, cultivators, and harvesters.

It took four farmers at the turn of the twentieth century to produce enough food to feed ten people. Today, one American farmer can feed 100 Americans and 32 people in other nations across the world.

With a large amount of farmed land, the use of modern agricultural tools and techniques has resulted in a significant increase in labor productivity. Furthermore, while there are floods and droughts, there is generally enough rainwater, river water, and groundwater to support irrigation in water-stressed areas. The western area of the Central United States is rich in agricultural land. As a result, when visitors come to America, they often see large, green, expansive fields of maize, soybeans, wheat, oranges, and grass fields.

For the reasons stated above, the US agricultural industry has made great strides, playing an important role in the US economy by providing abundant food at low prices and creating more jobs in processing industries, machinery manufacturing, and agricultural export services to countries all over the world.

Source: General Information

History of Organic Agriculture

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Agricultural trade

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History of Organic Agriculture

The Origins and Evolution of Organic Agriculture 

The concept of organic agriculture was developed in the early 1900s by pioneers such as Franklin Hiram King, Rudolf Steiner, Robert Rodale, Sir Albert Howard, Eva Balfour, and others who believed that the use of animal feces (often made into organic fertilizer), cover crops, crop rotation, and biologically based pest control would lead to a better farming system. Their organic agriculture idea books were released in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The books gradually perfected and defined biological movement and organic agriculture.

EVE BALFOUR (1898-1990) British organic farming pioneer 
on a Ferguson tractor about 1925 

As the actions of the pioneers expanded, a group of farmers in Europe and America began to grow in this direction. The organic producer model emerged in the 1940s and 1950s. In Europe, America, and Australia, the issue of inspection and supervision was raised and implemented, and organic standards and systems were established.

The proponent of the organic movement label was Rudolf Steiner, and it was likely the first organic label ever developed. In 1967, the Soil Association, with the help of Ms. Eva Balfour, published the world's first standards for organic agricultural production. In 1970, organic products were introduced to the world for the first time.

In the 1970s, various farm groups in the United States adopted the principles of organic agricultural production standards. Many organizations have created their own certification systems to ensure that organic products are produced in accordance with their requirements.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, certification agencies grew and expanded beyond national boundaries. Many accreditation programs were developed, such as producer accreditation. Most of these organizations engaged in activities other than certification. In the mid-1980s, a number of specialized certification agencies were formed, such as SKAL (Netherlands), KRAV (Sweden), and FVO (USA). Finally, in 1990, with the birth of the regulation, Regulations in Europe on organic certification became a concern towards commercialization, and certification companies were born.

Certification agencies were developed, organic production standards and regulations were perfected, and the organic production movement grew worldwide. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) has established fundamental standards and an accreditation program that is recognized as a common international guide to its standards and certification systems. Countries can be built on organic production.

Organic production laws are currently in place. Organic production regulations were enacted in the US states of Oregon and California in 1970. In 1980, a variety of new organic products began to be introduced into Europe, and organic trade bodies in the United States expanded and soon crossed borders. In the United States, a law governing organic food production was enacted in 1990. Finally, the US Department of Agriculture established organic food regulations in December 2000, which went into effect in October 2000. 2002. In Europe, rule 2092/91 regulating organic foods was passed in 1991. Since 1992, countries have worked together to produce the Codex Alimentarius standard, which guides organic agriculture. Codex Alimentarius participates in the FAO/WTO mission on food standards. In 1999, the Codex Alimentarius rules for organic goods were adopted.

The global state of organic agriculture development

Organic farms grew substantially in most European countries during the 1990s. The overall area of organic production increased by 46.2% between 1988 and 1999. In recent years, Europe's total yearly organic area has expanded by an average of 30% per year. Three million hectares (survey data) were managed with more than 100,000 organic farms in numerous European nations at the beginning of the 2000s, accounting for up to 2% of agricultural land. Organic farming expanded from 830 farms in 1990 to 5,300 farms producing organic crops in 2000.

Market necessities

Organic product manufacturing continues to account for a very modest part of total food demand in the market. In most countries, the organic food market share is roughly 1% of absolute food sold. According to the results in the table below, Austria and Switzerland account for around 1.8 - 2%. Danish organic products account for 3% of the food in circulation.

With the demands of the organic market in Europe, America, and Japan, developing countries must direct production activity to meet these demands. According to the data in the table above, it is projected that organic food and beverage sales in 2010 increased the yearly organic market by 10-25% depending on the country. The organic food market was worth about 16 billion USD in 2000, and the global market is expected to be worth between 61 and 94 billion USD in 2010.

Reference source:

1. FAO

2. Dr. Le Van Hung - Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam

3. Photo: Alamy, internet

Statistics on agricultural trade

The leading U.S. agricultural exports are grains and feeds, soybeans, livestock products, tree nuts, fruits, vegetables, and other horticultural products. The leading U.S. imports are horticultural and tropical products. Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and East Asia are major U.S. trade partners.

U.S. agricultural trade rose to record levels in 2021

Total U.S. agricultural trade rose to record levels in 2021. U.S. agricultural exports were valued at $177 billion in 2021, an 18 percent increase relative to 2020. Imports grew by almost 17 percent in 2021 to $171 billion. While the United States typically exports more agricultural goods by value than it imports, from 2012–21, imports grew more rapidly than exports (driven in part by strong domestic economic growth and consumer preferences for year-round produce selections).

U.S. agricultural export value increased to record high in 2021

The value of U.S. agricultural exports increased in 2021, driven by gains across all major commodity groups. As a share of total export value, the top 4 categories equally accounted for about 90 percent of total exports between 2017 and 2021. These categories include grains and feeds; oilseeds and products; animals (e.g. livestock and poultry), meats, and products; and horticultural products. The grains and feeds category recorded the largest year-to-year growth, increasing 40 percent from 2020 to $43 billion in 2021. The animals, meats, and products category followed this growth, growing 22 percent from 2020 to $39 billion in 2021.

Horticultural products drive total U.S. agricultural import growth

The value of U.S. agricultural imports grew by 17 percent in 2021 from 2020, with gains in all major commodity groups. Fifty-two percent of U.S. agricultural imports in 2021 were horticultural products, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, wine, spirits, essential oils, and nursery stock. Sugar and tropical products, such as coffee and cocoa, comprised 15 percent of agricultural imports in 2021. Other product groups—such as oilseeds, grains and feeds, and livestock and meats—also contributed to import growth from 2001 to 2021.

The top 5 U.S. agricultural trading partners accounted for 61 percent of U.S. agricultural exports in 2021

China was the largest market for U.S. agricultural exports in 2021, followed by Canada and Mexico. Exports to China grew 25 percent between 2020 and 2021, growing significantly following trade disputes between the United States and China that led to a steep reduction in oilseed exports (among other commodities) in 2018. Japan and the European Union are also among the top five agricultural trading partners with the United States. While their shares of U.S. exports have decreased since 2001, they remain the fourth and fifth largest export markets. The top five U.S. agricultural trading partners accounted for 61 percent of U.S. agricultural exports in 2021.

Canada and the European Union are the two largest suppliers of U.S. agricultural imports, followed by Mexico

Canada and Mexico are the United States' first and third largest suppliers of agricultural products (averaging $30.9 billion and $25.5 billion in 2017–21, respectively). Mexico supplied the United States with 31 percent of imported horticultural products including fruit, vegetables, and alcoholic beverages. Canada is also a source of horticultural products, as well as grains, and meats. The European Union is the second largest import source, accounting for $28.0 billion worth of U.S. agricultural imports in 2017–21, with horticultural products such as wine, spirits, and essential oils accounting for more than 60 percent the value. South America (led by Brazil, Chile, and Colombia) averaged $15.6 billion in U.S. imports from 2017–21, consisting largely of horticultural, sugar, and tropical products in which the region has a comparative or seasonal advantage.

East Asia and North America remain top regions for U.S. agricultural exports

From 2017 to 2021, East Asia and North America combined to account for 60 percent of U.S. agricultural exports. East Asia (led by China, Japan, and South Korea) was the largest market, with a collective 31 percent share. The top three commodity groups exported to East Asia include oilseeds, grains, and meats. The share of U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico has increased and accounted for 28 percent of world exports over the 5 years from 2017–21. Southeast Asia (led by the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia) is the third largest regional destination, followed closely by the European Union.

Exports expand the market for U.S. agricultural products

The United States tends to export a higher share of non-manufactured products than manufactured products. Non-manufactured products include food grains such as rice and wheat, oilseeds—and tree nuts such as almonds. The United States exports a lower share of manufactured products—such as sweeteners, bakery products, and dairy products. The overall export share of U.S. agricultural production in 2021 was 20 percent, the level of which has remained relatively constant since 2001.

U.S. consumer preference for high-value products is reflected in imports

The U.S. share of agricultural consumption sourced from imports tends to be higher for higher-value agricultural product groups. This higher share is due to numerous factors—including the relative competitiveness in production, seasonal availability, consumer preferences, and others. Sweeteners, and processed sugar, and confections are groups of products where the United States is reliant on imports. Fruits, nuts, and vegetables are also frequently imported. The United States tends to have a lower reliance on imports for unprocessed commodities such as feed grains, livestock, and oilseeds. The total import share of consumption across all food and beverages between 2011 and 2021 was 15 percent, steadily growing over the period.

Last updated: Monday, May 08, 2023

Source: USDA