The American agricultural industry posted its highest annual export levels ever recorded in 2021, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced on February 8. The final 2021 trade data shows that exports of U.S. farm and food products to the world totaled $177 billion, topping the 2020 total by 18 per cent and eclipsing the previous record, set in 2014, by 14.6 per cent.

The United States’ top 10 export markets all saw gains in 2021, with six of the 10 – China, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, the Philippines and Colombia – setting new records. Worldwide exports of many U.S. products, including soybeans, corn, beef, pork, dairy, distillers grains and pet food, also reached all-time highs. China remained the top export destination, with a record $33 billion in purchases, up 25 per cent from 2020, while Mexico inched ahead of Canada to capture the number two position with a record $25.5 billion, up 39 per cent from last year.

Some key statistics include:

-  Exports of all food products to Canada were up 12%in 2021 compared to previous year

-  Value of food exports to Canada totalled $25.048 billion in 2021 compared to $22.277 billion in 2020

“It’s clear that our international trading partners are responding favourably to a return to certainty from the United States,” Vilsack said. “We owe our thanks to America’s agricultural producers who always work hard to be reliable global suppliers and the Biden-Harris Administration and USDA are fighting hard on their behalf to keep our home-grown products moving around the world. We’re strengthening relationships with our trading partners and holding those partners accountable for their commitments. We’re addressing transportation and infrastructure challenges through the work of the Administration’s Supply Chain Task Force and calling out ocean carriers that are putting profits above their responsibility to serve both importers and exporters. And we’re expanding opportunities for agricultural exports by knocking down trade barriers and partnering with industry on marketing and promotion efforts worldwide.”

For a detailed summary of 2021 U.S. agricultural exports by market, click here.

For a detailed summary of 2021 U.S. agricultural exports by product, click here.

Source:  USDA February 8, 2022 news release