The Foreign Service Journal, May 2003

lthough it is not immediately apparent when one wanders through Iowa’s vast cornfields, 20 percent of total U.S. corn production goes to foreign markets. In fact, U.S. agriculture is twice as reliant as the econo- my as a whole on overseas markets, making it one of the United States’ most trade-dependent sectors. By 2000, exports accounted for 26 percent of total U.S. farm cash receipts, and considerably more for many products. Almost two-thirds of our almond harvest and 60 percent of American cattle hides are exported, as are nearly half of U.S. wheat and rice crops. About one-third of soybean, tobacco and cotton production, and fresh table grapes, dried plums, raisins, canned 44 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 3 F O C U S O N F A S A H IGH S TAKES , H IGH H URDLES : U.S. F ARM T RADE P OLICY W HILE FAS STILL CARRIES OUT ITS “ TRADITIONAL ” FUNCTIONS , ITS ACTIVITIES ARE INCREASINGLY FOCUSING ON TRADE POLICY AND EXPORT PROMOTION . B Y E RIC T RACHTENBERG Kevin Rechin