USDA Focused On Reducing The Trade Deficit

The numbers from USDA's most recent quarterly Ag trade outlook reveal a reduction in the projected Ag trade deficit.

“Those numbers came in at $41.5 billion," said Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Under Secretary Luke Lindberg.  "So, we shaved $8.5 billion off of the forecasted trade deficit in 2025 and are now forecasting that number to drop down to $37 billion for 2026.”

Lindberg said the goal remains reaching an Ag trade surplus.  To that end, the focus for his mission area in 2026 is not just further implementation of trade deals, but fostering increased long-term buyer-seller relationships, and in turn, more purchase contracts for a nation's ag products.

"I would say when you put willing buyers and willing sellers in the same room, that's kind of where the magic happens, and getting those deals done for producers so that they see the benefits of the big picture trade deals,” Lindberg said.

USDA has half a dozen trade missions scheduled for the coming year, including stops in Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.  Click Here for the details on each of those stops.

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