2023 AGH Survey Complete and American Ag Exports Down

**The Washington State Department of Agriculture has completed its annual invasive pest survey season and will begin removing northern giant hornet traps this month.

For the second consecutive year, none of the pest formerly known as Asian Giant Hornets were detected in the state.

Trappers will remove more than 800 traps they set and have been monitoring since July.

Nearly 200 additional traps were placed and monitored in Whatcom County.

**America’s agricultural exports in fiscal year 2024 are projected to be down $2.5 billion from the August forecast.

The drop is primarily from reductions in grain and feed as well as livestock, poultry, and dairy exports.

Wheat exports are forecast down $800 million on lower unit values and ongoing competition from Russia and the EU.

Livestock, poultry, and dairy exports are forecast to drop by $1.3 billion due to declines across most products.

**The USDA is providing approximately $208 million in financial assistance for qualifying farm and emergency loan borrowers.

To help prevent foreclosures, USDA will cover approximately $80 million in delinquencies for an estimated 210 borrowers whose loans were flagged for liquidation as of November 30.

USDA will also provide roughly $128 million for an estimated 1,120 borrowers with outstanding direct Emergency Loans.