10-15 FB Shipping Ag

 Export data recently released shows that Idaho food and agriculture exports are up dramatically.   

With the news that Idaho’s agricultural exports are significantly increased this year, Celia Gould, director, Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) recently stated that “Agriculture and agriculture exports continue to play a critical role in Idaho’s economy. Idaho’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors dedicate their lives to producing some of the finest products to meet the needs of a global marketplace.”

Top export markets for Idaho food and agriculture are Canada , Mexico , China , Japan  and South Korea.  so I wondered just how all the production coming out of our state made its way to foreign soil. Here is chief marketing executive for the ISDA, Laura Johnson:  “Most of our product is shipped to the West Coast  that goes to Asia and then it is put on ships to cross the water.  We have to truck it to those ports. We have some rail and more of our rail goes towards Mexico  and we also have support of Lewiston and we have some product which is barged down the Columbia River.” So when you are driving down what Gov. Otter calls that “great band of commerce”  otherwise known as the freeway, tip your hat to a trucker because he is a main link to your bank account.