Small Town News

Montana Agricultural Exports Increased $507 million in 2008

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The value of Montana's agricultural commodities exported during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, totaled $1,256.1 million $506.7 million above 2007. Wheat and Products remained Montana's leading export, making up 70.8 percent of the state's agricultural exports. Feeds and Fodders were Montana's second leading export accounting for 12.3 percent of the total. Feed Grains and Products was in third place with 6.8 percent and the Vegetables & Preparations category which includes dry beans, dry peas, lentils, and fall potatoes came in fourth with 6.0 percent of total Montana exports.

Most Montana agricultural exports showed an increase in 2008. Wheat and Products exports showed the largest change in value, up $344.4 million from 2007, followed by Feeds and Fodders exports increased $93.4 million from 2007 followed by Feed Grains and Products up $46.8 million. Vegetables and Preparations increased $20.6 million, and Live Animals and Meat increased $2.7 million.

Montana rose to third place among states exporting Wheat and Products for fiscal year 2008. The top wheat exporting states for 2008 were Kansas, followed by North Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Minnesota, Washington, Texas and Ohio. Considering exports of all products, California remained on top, followed by Iowa, Illinois, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and North Dakota. Montana moved up from twenty-ninth place in 2007 for exports of all products to twenty-eighth place in 2008.

U.S. agricultural exports reached a record high in fiscal 2008 at $112.5 billion, $30.1 billion high than the record set in fiscal 2007. The export value for Wheat and Products is up 71 percent over 2007 at $14.8 billion. Exports showed increases in all categories except Hides and Skins. The largest increase in the U.S. exports occurred in Soybeans and Products followed by Feed Grains and Products, and Wheat and Products.

Soybeans and Products became the largest valued agricultural export commodity in 2008 at $19.3 billion - growing some $8 billion over fiscal 2007.



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© 2010 Roundup Record-Tribune & Winnett Times Roundup, Montana. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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