Balancing the U.S. Agricultural Trade Deficit with Higher-Value Food Crops

Documenting the decline in domestic production of produce, legumes, and whole grains, this report reveals that the U.S. is increasingly dependent on imports for these essential foods. 

This has resulted in an agricultural trade deficit, which could be balanced by converting less than 0.5 percent of current farm acreage to the production of these essential crops, instead of feed grains for industrial livestock operations.

Alongside this research, Farm Action’s political affiliate Farm Action Fund issued a set of policy recommendations for inclusion in the 2023 Farm Bill to support this shift in agricultural production.