USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Trade Ted McKinney just completed a week-long trip to Colombia and Panama to survey how U.S. ag exports have succeeded in the two countries.

 

He said free trade agreements five years ago have brought U.S. exporters valuable customers.

 

“Colombia, they are our No. 1 food and ag export country in the Southern Hemisphere and Panama, a smaller country, is the third largest per capita consumer of U.S. products.”

 

McKinnney further explained what kind of value U.S. ag exporters are getting from the South American nations.

 

“The trade with Colombia is about $4.6 billion combined with $2.4 billion [from U.S. producers]. Panama, the ratio isn’t quite the same but it’s a total of $726 million in trade.”

 

The U.S. exports more than $600 million in ag goods to Panama.

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