Illinois: A Major Ag Export State

Illinois is typically one of the top U.S. states in agricultural exports, ranking third in 1995, behind only California and Iowa. Illinois exports for 1995 totaled $3.4 billion, up from $3 billion the previous year -- a gain of 13 percent -- according to USDA’s Economic Research Service.

Illinois exports 44 percent of its agricultural products. In 1995, it was second in the export of feed grains and tied with Iowa for first place for soybeans. Illinois has shown continued agricultural export growth in recent years. From 1993 to 1995, Illinois’ exports of feed grains and related products surged 43 percent to $1.5 billion. Exports of soybeans and related products showed steady growth, increasing to $1.2 billion.

Illinois Exports Test Nation’s Pulse

Illinois’ exports show more year-to-year volatility than the nation as a whole because bulk commodities make up a large portion of Illinois’ overall export profile. Overall, the state’s excellent export record parallels the export record of the nation. U.S. agricultural exports reached a record $54.1 billion in fiscal year 1995 as Illinois exports rose to $3.4 billion.

In 1996, U.S. agricultural exports established another new record of $59.8 billion, in part due to rising corn and soybean exports. Although data on Illinois’ 1996 agricultural exports will not be available for a few months, it is expected that the state will have enjoyed another good year. Illinois agriculture, like U.S. agriculture as a whole, faces a future filled with opportunities as well as challenges.

Illinois Reads Marketplace Signals

Illinois’ farm community is working to expand exports and assure its continued economic growth. For example, in 1995, 10 Illinois companies participated in Foreign Agricultural Service-sponsored trade shows in Germany, which generated 62 leads from prospective buyers.

Twenty-two Illinois agribusinesses participated in the Foreign Agricultural Service’s Market Access Program in 1995. The Market Access Program encourages commercial exports of U.S. agricultural commodities and assists companies with international consumer promotions, market research, technical assistance and trade servicing.

New Export Assistance Office in Iowa

In October 1996, USDA opened a regional export outreach office in Des Moines, Iowa. The office provides assistance to agricultural exporters and potential agricultural exporters in Illinois and other midwestern states.

The office is a two-year pilot effort to stimulate trade. It is a cooperative effort between the Foreign Agricultural Service and USDA’s Farm Service Agency to increase awareness of export opportunities within local governments and the agribusiness community of the Midwest, particularly among small- and medium-sized enterprises, including cooperatives.

Scott Bleggi heads the Des Moines office. Bleggi is a career foreign service officer who has experience in overseas assignments as well as with FAS programs to assist U.S. private-sector market development groups.

"Our goal is to break down negative perceptions about the difficulty of exporting and provide marketing know-how and expertise, especially for high-value products," says Bleggi. "We work closely with state and regional food industry and trade groups, state departments of agriculture, trade and economic development groups, other USDA agencies, Department of Commerce field offices and universities." Bleggi can be reached at, Tel.: (515) 254-1540, ext. 653; Fax.: (515) 254-1573; E-mail: Bleggi@fas.usda.gov.

Resources for Illinois Exporters

Companies wanting to take advantage of the many international market opportunities can contact the following offices.

Last modified: Thursday, October 14, 2004 PM