America’s farmers and ranchers faced what some called a “perfect storm” consisting of bottlenecked ports and an 80,000 truck driver shortage in 2021. But somehow, the men and women who keep the country’s supply chains moving came through for their hard-working counterparts in the agricultural sector.
“We need truckers,” Melody Benjamin, a rancher and vice president of policy engagement for the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Association, reportedly said.
Recent tallies show truckers got the job done for Benjamin and others in the agricultural sector. The final Department of Commerce trade data published for 2021 indicates exports crossed the $177 billion mark. That figure exceeds 2020 by a whopping 18 percent, and last year’s agricultural export numbers also broke a record set in 2014 by 14.6 percent. Those are stunning revelations considering the quagmire at the country’s largest West Coast container ports and the flood of empties fast-tracked back to Asian manufacturers.
“These record-breaking trade numbers demonstrate that U.S. agriculture is incredibly resilient as it continues to provide high-quality, cost-competitive farm and food products to customers around the globe,” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack reportedly said. “This is a major boost for the economy as a whole, and particularly for our rural communities, with agricultural exports stimulating local economic activity, helping maintain our competitive edge globally, supporting producers’ bottom lines, and supporting more than 1.3 million jobs on the farm and in related industries such as food processing and transportation.”
Truckers kept growers and ranchers stocked with necessary feeds and products to pull off the harvest during uncertain periods. Agricultural operations and family farms then loaded their goods onto trucks. The Department of Commerce reports that American exports experienced increases in its 10 leading markets. The following six broke existing export records — China, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, the Philippines, and Colombia.
“It’s clear that our international trading partners are responding favorably to a return to certainty from the United States,” Vilsack reportedly said. “And we’re expanding opportunities for agricultural exports by knocking down trade barriers and partnering with industry on marketing and promotion efforts worldwide.”
Exported products such as soybeans, corn, beef, pork, dairy, distillers grains, and pet food, reportedly reached high-water marks during 2021. China remained the largest importer of American goods and materials, setting a record annual buy that exceeded $33 billion. Prior to the pandemic, China entered a trade agreement with the U.S. that tasked it with significantly increasing its import of American goods. Although purchases have increased, the Asian nation has not reportedly met its obligations.
Mexico increased its U.S. agricultural imports, moving ahead of Canada by buying $25.5 billion in agricultural goods. That figure was a 39 percent year-over-year increase. Despite what seemed like insurmountable odds in 2021, the numbers prove truckers went above and beyond to support our invaluable growers and ranchers.
Sources: beefmagazine.com
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