The name is absent

In summary, a crisis exists in a major part
of the United States agribusiness economy.
Conditions are most severe in business areas
that are directly or indirectly associated with
traditional row crop farm enterprises. Cur-
rent trends in the United States agricultural
trade balance indicate less United States par-
ticipation in world trade in each year except
one since 1981, Table 7. We know that sup-
ply and demand contribute to price deter-
mination. When the supply and demand of
United States agricultural products and re-
sources associated with the industry are
brought more nearly into balance, the agri-
cultural crisis will be over.

Table 7. Agricultural Trade Statistics, 1970-85

Marketing        Exports     Imports       Trade

Year           value       value       balance

.............. million dollars ...............

1970 ................... 6,958      5,686     + 1,272

1971 ................... 7,955      6,128     + 1,827

1972 ................... 8,242      5,936     + 2,306

1973 ...................14,984      7,737     + 7,247

1974 ...................21,559     10,031     +11,528

1975 ...................21,817      9,435     +12,382

1976 ...................22,742     10,497     +12,250

1977 ...................23,974     13,357     +10,617

1978 ...................27,289     13,886     +13,403

1979 ...................31,979     16,186     +15,793

1980 ...................40,481     17,276     +23,205

1981 ...................43,780     17,218     +26,562

1982 ...................39,095     15,489     +23,606

1983 ...................34,776     16,375     +18,401

1984 ...................38,013     18,910     +19,103

1985 (est.) ..........32,000     19,500     +12,500

Source: USDA (b).

REFERENCES

Government Accounting Office (GAO). Report to the Congress of the United States: Financial
Condition of Agriculture, October 10, 1985.

U. S. Department of Agriculture (a). Crop Reporting Board and Statistical Reporting Service.
Farm Production Expenditures, 1983: Preliminary Summary, Washington, D. C.;
June, 1984.

(b). Agricultural Statistics, 1984-, U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash-
ington, D. C., 1984.

(c). Farmers Home Administration, Finance Office, unpublished materials,
form FmHA 389-375-A, national totals; September 30, 1985.

(d). Economic Research Service. Agricultural Outlook-, October, 1985.

(e). Economic Research Service. Economic Indicators of Farm Sector-, ρ.
3; December, 1985.

(f). Economic Research Service. Agricultural Resources: Inputs Outlook
Situation Report-, No. AR-1; February, 1986.

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