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Ag exports up from last year despite trade disputes

Despite being less than projected, ag exports are still up from last year.

USDA trade analyst Bryce Cook says even with the trade disputes exports are still at $143.4 billion.

“It was up $3.2 billion or three percent from the previous year,” he says. “The previous year was $140.2 billion.”

Ag imports, on the other hand, set a new record.

“Agricultural imports were up yet again- $8.5 billion from the previous year- that’s 7 percent growth leading to an import total value of  $127.6 billion,” he says.

Cooke says the increase in ag imports tightened the trade surplus.