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RICHMOND —With agricultural export sales at record-high levels for 2004, Virginia producers can look overseas for ways to add to their bottom lines.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s final export forecast for fiscal year 2004 indicates sales are expected to reach $62 billion, eclipsing the old record of $59.8 billion set in fiscal year 1996. This forecast is up $500 million from May’s estimate, largely due to stronger-than-expected cotton, beef and pork exports.
“From January to June, our pork exports were almost twice what they were last year at this time,” said Keith Long, who directs the Office of International Marketing for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “Part of that is because of blows to the beef and poultry markets over the last year. Both are recovering, but our pork industry has benefited from the decline.”
Canada, Japan and Mexico remain the top markets for U.S. agricultural products, with combined exports estimated at $27.1 billion. Asia as a whole represents the United States’ largest regional market, with sales expected to reach $24.5 billion.
“VDACS has placed a real emphasis on the Caribbean and Mexico,” Long pointed out. “Taiwan, Korea and China have been big buyers of pork. Virginia hardwood exports are big in Asia. We’ve spent a lot of time cultivating buyer relationships in China. We attend a wood products trade fair in China every year with half a dozen companies going with us.”
China is the leading importer of U.S. cotton and soybeans, and also imports large quantities of U.S. wheat and hides and skins.
Tobacco remains Virginia’s top export, followed by wood products. Meat sales — pork, poultry and beef — and grain and oil seeds vie for third place, depending on the year.
“I think it’s safe to say that Virginia is benefiting through the increased demand for commodities and meat products,” Long said. “We’ve been able to export grains and oil seeds to different parts of the world, particularly in the Caribbean and Latin America. Even the Cuban market has opened up recently. We send these places a lot of soybeans and soybean meal, as well as Virginia apples.”
USDA has forecast fiscal year 2005 sales to slip to $57.5 billion, due to increased competition and lower expected prices for cotton, wheat and soybeans.
However, the export volume of major bulk commodities is forecast to rise to 118.7 million tons, with increases for corn and soybeans offsetting decreases for wheat and cotton.
“Soybeans and soybean meal prices have contributed to the higher dollar value of overall exports,” Long explained. “Grains in general have been strong. There have been some bilateral trade agreements that have started to help.
“The increased prices are definitely timely for producers,” he said. “They need these prices to balance off lean years. We’re trying to maintain a presence on the international market for producers. If we can keep it up, grain producers in Virginia will get a higher base price and more money in their pocket.”

Back to school means back
to nutrition with Va. foods
RICHMOND — Most Virginia students returned to school following Labor Day, and this year they will be welcomed back to their cafeterias with fresh Virginia products and more comfort foods.
As it did last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is requiring school systems that participate in the National School Lunch Program to provide at least two fresh fruits or vegetables with each meal.
“This program went over very well last year, and we are happy to continue it,” said Tim Mertz, assistant director of food services for Henrico County Schools. “We use as much fresh produce as we can, and we have also increased the amount of fruit juice offered in the schools.”
School meals must meet national dietary guidelines, which recommend that no more than 30 percent of calories come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. Regulations also establish a standard for school lunches to provide one-third of recommended dietary allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.
A standard school lunch in Virginia has five components: milk, bread, protein and two fruits or vegetables. Henrico County will serve students three fresh fruits or vegetables with each lunch.
“We are really tightening up on nutritional guidelines and providing our students with foods they may not receive at home,” Mertz added. “We are giving our children foods like meatloaf, home-baked macaroni and cheese, and other wholesome nutritional products offered daily.”
Mertz said they also offer students spaghetti made with Virginia-grown ground turkey, and Virginia turkey corn dogs. “We are trying to use as many Virginia products as possible in the school system.”
Henrico County Schools use flour from an Ashland mill and produce from Loving’s Produce Co. in Richmond.
In Virginia, 619,000 school lunches and 162,000 school breakfasts are served to students daily. In 2003, county school systems throughout the state served 109 million lunches and 14 million breakfasts.
The National School Lunch Program began after World War II to help feed children and help increase the use of the nation’s farm commodity surplus.
Farm Calendar
Sept. 16-19: State 4-H Horse Show, Virginia Horse Center
Sept. 23-Oct. 3: State Fair of Virginia
Sept. 24: 4-H State Fair Junior Dairymen’s Contest, Richmond