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Another record year for ag exports

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its final total for U.S. agricultural exports in Fiscal Year 2014, which soared to a record $152.5 billion; surpassing last year’s record of $141 billion.

USDA Chief Economist Joe Glauber says soybean exports led the way with $24 billion in sales up 17 percent from the previous year.  Corn exports were $11.1 billion up nearly 99 percent from the drought year of 2012-13.  Beef and beef product sales increased 15 percent to $6.8 billion and dairy product exports totaled $7.4 billion up 21 percent from the previous year.

In a statement, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said: “Agricultural exports have climbed 41 percent in value over the past five years. U.S. agricultural exports have increased in volume as well as in monetary value, which demonstrates an increasing global appetite for high-quality, American grown products.”