U.S. Raises Forecast for Farm Exports

The United States will export $59 billion worth of farm goods in fiscal 2005, up from a previous forecast of $56 billion in part because of larger shipments of pork, cotton and oilseed products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

At the same time, U.S. farm imports will rise to a record $58 billion because of American consumers’ growing demand for ethnic foods and a decline in the dollar, the USDA said.