USDA leads trade mission to Russia

   The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse will lead a mission to promote U.S. agricultural exports to Russia, Dec. 3-7.
   Farm representatives from Idaho, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Kansas, as well as 23 companies will attend.
   According to the USDA, two-way agricultural trade between the United States and Russia was valued at about $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2012, with American farm exports accounting for 97 percent of the total.
   Overall exports of U.S. food and agricultural products are expected to reach $143.5 billion in fiscal 2013, well above the record set in 2011, while exports in fiscal year 2012 achieved the second-highest level of all time.
   “Even with tough odds due to extreme weather, U.S. agriculture is delivering for the American economy, putting our nation’s agricultural sector on pace to achieve President Obama’s goal under the National Export Initiative of doubling exports by the end of 2014,” USDA said.
   This Russia trip is the second major USDA agricultural trade mission this year for U.S. companies. A trade mission to China was held in March. Companies attending the Russia trade mission represent a variety of agricultural products including cattle, meat and poultry, fruit and nuts, and consumer products.
   USDA said its goal for the Russia trade mission is to provide participants with “first-hand market information, access to government decision makers and one-on-one meetings with business contacts, potential agents, distributers and importers so they can position themselves to enter or expand their presence in the Russian market.”