US agricultural trade deficit widens amid falling exports and rising imports

A new study reveals that the United States now imports more agricultural products than it exports, and the trade deficit is expected to continue growing. William Ridley, a professor of agricultural economics at the College of ACES, University of Illinois, highlighted the growing imbalance in U.S. agricultural trade.

Ridley noted that America’s once healthy trade surplus has largely disappeared. “Exports have been relatively stable for some time, but this year they have really declined, largely due to the ongoing trade tensions with China. What was once concerning has now become a serious issue,” he said.

The decline in exports extends beyond soybeans. “It’s not just soybeans — it’s sorghum, wheat, cotton, and other crops,” Ridley emphasized, pointing to the broad impact on U.S. agriculture.

On the import side, the value of U.S. agricultural imports has risen, driven in part by items such as avocados from Mexico and canola oil from Canada. Ridley added that increasing competition from South American countries and the U.S.’s declining reliability as a trading partner make it unlikely that the trade deficit will reverse anytime soon.

The study, conducted jointly with researchers at Texas Tech University, was published in Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy and underscores the growing challenges for U.S. farmers and exporters as global trade dynamics shift.

Tags: export, USA, imports