European Union

In 2019, the European Union was the fourth largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports, which totaled $11.7 billion, a 13 percent decrease from 2018. High import tariffs, retaliatory tariffs, and discriminatory import regulations continue to challenge U.S. agricultural exports. The United States is the second largest supplier of agricultural goods with 10 percent market share, just behind Brazil. The largest export increases in 2019 were seen in tree nuts and non-alcoholic beverages, up $345 million and $20 million, respectively.

Additionally, increases in exports of coarse grains (excluding corn), egg products, and cat & dog food were up $17 million, $17 million, and $9 million, respectively. Exports of soybeans were down by more than $1.1 billion. Exports of corn were down $319 million, feeds & fodders down $131 million, and soybean meal down $128 million. Despite these decreases, the European Union in 2019 was the top market for U.S. tree nuts, planting seeds, and pulses. At 1 percent, the 2019 increase in U.S. exports of planting seeds to the EU was not large, but it stands in contrast to the negative percentages that mark the change in U.S. exports to the EU for 8 of the top 10 U.S. export commodities.

More information from the 2019 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook