USDA Pushes Export Growth Amid Trade Challenges | Spokane News

USDA’s top trade official just wrapped up a whirlwind tour of Washington state’s farms, praising productive talks with potato, pulse, and tree fruit growers—and celebrating a major win: slashing the agricultural trade deficit since 2020. He credits the administration’s tariff strategy for forcing foreign markets to open up, aiming for a trade surplus. Growers applaud USDA’s grants boosting exports, especially to Asia, but warn that rising labor, fuel, and fertilizer costs, plus shaky trade policies, keep them on edge. Even with new deals in hand, farmers still worry about U.S. reliability as a supplier. And while USDA’s push to prioritize American dry pulses in food aid is a start, growers say consistent export sales and dependable aid are essential to rebuild and grow the industry. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6be2ba56178b996f