Wisconsin Ag Connection - Wisconsin Has Banner Year in '17 for Ag Product Exports

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Wisconsin Has Banner Year in '17 for Ag Product Exports
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 02/08/2018

Wisconsin's agribusiness sector continues to make a big impact on the rest of the world. On Wednesday, Governor Scott Walker's office announced that farm product exports from the state reached $3.5 billion in 2017. That's 3.6 percent more than in 2016, but still short of the record $3.73 in international shipments in 2013.

"What's significant about this year's export figures is the across-the-board growth that we experienced," Gov. Walker said. "It wasn't just one or two products or countries driving the growth. We saw exports rise in four of our five top countries, and in four of our five top product categories."

The state's top customers last year were Canada, Mexico, China, Korea and Japan, respectively. A total of 147 different nations purchased agricultural goods from Wisconsin during the past year.

Exports of dairy, eggs and honey products were up 19.9 percent over 2016 to $297 million. That makes Wisconsin fifth in the nation for exports in those areas.

Wisconsin led the nation in exports of a wide variety of products in 2017, including prepared/preserved cranberries, prepared/preserved sweet corn, bovine semen, outboard marine engines, refrigeration/freezer equipment, tanks and other armored vehicles and parts; and lawnmowers.

Walker also announced that all Wisconsin business exports added up to $22.3 billion last year. That was up 6.1 percent from the previous year's international product sales.

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