The report, produced by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), stated that agricultural exports were worth $141.3bn in 2012, providing a $38.5bn trade surplus for the year for the agriculture sector.
However, it pointed out that US agricultural exports, such as meat and poultry, still faced trade barriers in a number of international markets.
“Despite some progress, average agricultural tariffs remain substantially higher than those imposed on other products,” said the report. “Moreover, unpredictable and unscientific applications of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures can create a significant burden for exporters, in particular for producers and processors of meat products.”
It called on Congress to push for provisions that would reduce barriers to agricultural trade, as well as promoting export opportunities for smaller farmers and processors.
Farm bill
Another key recommendation in the report was the passing of a long-term farm bill “to provide certainty for US agriculture”.
US Senator Amy Klobuchar, vice-chair of JEC, said: “Agricultural exports have been one of the biggest bright spots in our economy these last few years, and our farmers in Minnesota and across the country deserve the certainty of a long-term Farm Bill so they can continue to succeed.
“I worked hard in the Senate to craft legislation that provides farmers with the support they need while also saving $24bn, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to make sure this gets done.”
Philip Seng, president and CEO of the US Meat Export Federation welcomed the report and its recommendations. “This report reinforces the importance of exports for the American agricultural sector,” he said.
“It also documents two areas that are critical for the success of agricultural exports: the enactment of a long-term farm bill to provide support for agricultural exports; and provisions that reduce barriers to those exports. Both are equally important for an area of the economy that produces a much-needed budget surplus and supports an estimated one million jobs across the country.”