California Planting Decisions and U.S. Ag Imports Outpace Exports

**Falling commodity prices, rising production costs and water supply uncertainty are some of the factors weighing on planting decisions for California farmers this year.

They say their crop options have narrowed, with canneries needing less acreage of processing tomatoes and a major seed company ending its sunflower seed program.

Growers who’ve pulled out permanent crops such as almonds and walnuts in recent years are looking to plant annual crops on the open ground.

**USDA’s Economic Research Service reports U.S. ag IMPORTS exceeded exports by $16.6 billion in 2023.

For nearly 60 years, U.S. agricultural trade maintained a surplus, but shifted to a deficit in 2019.

From 2013 to 23, import values increased at a compound annual growth rate of 5.8%, and exports grew 2.1%.

USDA says the U.S. consumer’s growing appetite for high-valued imported goods has contributed to the expanding trade deficit.

**Mexican corn imports are expected to rise during the 2024-25 marketing year amid increased demand.

USDA’s Foreign Ag Service says corn imports are forecast to increase 5% year-over-year to 22 million tons to meet the

Mexican government’s forecast of an increasing demand for starch and animal food production.

Mexico is the world’s second-largest grain importer behind only China.

The U.S. accounts for more than 85% of Mexico’s corn imports.