12/19/07 Ag exports strong for 2007

US ag exports are still going strong as we near the end of 2007. The latest numbers show exports for the first ten months of this year and USDA economist Nora Brooks says October was a record setter. BROOKS "For the first ten months of calendar year 2007 US exports are up about 24 percent over this time from last year. We're at 71 billion dollars already this year." So what's driving the ag export market? BROOKS "Wheat, corn and soybeans. Wheat values are up 89 percent ahead of this time last year and volume is up 40 percent. Corn values are up 42 percent over last year but this is all price because the volume of corn shipments has actually fallen five percent." On the flip side, agricultural imports were up about 15 percent from September to October. For the first ten months of the year Brooks says there's been an increase in imports. BROOKS "The 59 billion dollar total is about ten percent ahead of this time last year. Fruit juice imports continue to have the highest growth rate over last year." For the first ten months that means US farmers and ranchers had a 12 billion dollar difference between exporting their crops and the imports that come in from other countries. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott