Applauding Idaho's farmers
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January 7, 2014 |
By U.S. Senator Mike Crapo
The U.S. Trade Representative reported that, in
2012 alone, the U.S. sold $235 million worth of
potatoes, $42 million worth of beans, $1.1
billion worth of apples and $53.3 billion worth
of corn products to consumers around the world.
These are just a few examples of how American
farmers and ranchers are helping to meet the
challenge of feeding a growing world population.
According to the Idaho State Department of
Agriculture, Idahoans produce more than 185
different agricultural commodities. Idahoans are
selling these agricultural commodities here in
the U.S. and are helping Idaho rank among
leading states in providing agricultural goods
to people around the world.
For example, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Economic Research Service (ERS) data ranks Idaho
fourth in the nation for the value of dairy
products sold worldwide.
Dairy exports have grown from just over $36
million in 2000 to more than $335 million in
2012. ERS also reports that Idaho ranks fourth
among states in the value of fresh and processed
vegetables sold in foreign markets and fifth for
the value of wheat sales.
Agricultural sales abroad support jobs and are
an enormous benefit to Idaho’s economy.
According to data from Global Trade Information
Services, Inc. (GTI), in the first nine months
of 2013 alone, more than $736 million of Idaho
agriculture products were sold internationally.
This includes more than $230 million worth of
Idaho dairy, $98 million worth of grain and
seeds, $96 million worth of vegetables and $50
million worth of preserved food.
International sales of these products increased
in the first nine months of 2013 over sales in
the first nine months of 2012. Overall, Idaho
agriculture brings in more than $7 billion in
cash receipts that help support local employment
and communities.
The sales abroad are made possible because
Idaho’s farms and ranches produce more
high-quality agricultural products than can be
consumed by Idahoans.
They are able to share this bounty with families
around the world through entrepreneurship and
hard work, especially considering the mounting
pressures on farm and ranch land. These
pressures include excess regulations and
paperwork requirements, tax uncertainty, high
input costs, limited water, and emerging pest
and plant and animal diseases.
Taking into account the expansive reach of Idaho
agricultural products around the world, today’s
producers and small businesses are meeting the
challenges of navigating in varied and complex
marketplaces.
GTI reports that Canada, Mexico, China, South
Korea and Japan are the top export markets for
Idaho agriculture products.
However, Idaho agricultural products reach far
beyond these markets and are sold in nearly 100
countries. For example, the Idaho Department of
Commerce reports that Peru bought $6.4 million
worth of vegetables from Idaho, and Indonesia
bought more than $34 million worth of dairy
products from Idaho in 2012.
As we ponder our state and nation’s economic
future, we should applaud the immense
advancements of Idaho agricultural products into
world markets, resulting from the hard work of
Idaho farmers and ranchers and serving as an
example of Idaho agriculture’s important and
growing role.
To ensure that more of Idaho’s high-quality food
is able to reach those who need it, we must
create a supporting environment for growth and
eliminate unnecessary obstacles.
I will continue to press for needed policy
changes to best enable American farmers and
ranchers to continue to meet local and world
food needs. |
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