Idaho sets a record for ag export value

By Sean Ellis

Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

Idaho set a record for total value of agricultural exports in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Idaho companies sold $2.84 billion worth of agricultural products to other nations in 2024, up 8 percent from $2.64 billion in 2023 and 1.4 percent more than the previous record of $2.8 billion set in 2022.

A separate set of data by the U.S. Census Bureau shows Idaho was on track for another record ag export year in 2025.

According to the Census Bureau data, $1.2 billion worth of agricultural products were exported from Idaho through October 2025. The current annual record according to that set of data is $1.36 billion, set in 2024.

The Census Bureau data is based on what state a commodity is exported from, so it doesn’t capture all of Idaho farm product exports. For example, it wouldn’t capture the wheat from Idaho that is exported out of Portland.

The USDA data, which is typically released in the fall for the previous year, captures more of the state’s farm exports but is not as timely as the Census Bureau data, which is released monthly.

However, both sets of data track closely when it comes to percentage increases and decreases.

According to the Census Bureau data, Idaho set records for total ag export value in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and was on pace through October 2025 for potentially another record.

The USDA data shows the export values of livestock products from Idaho in 2024 saw a notable increase compared to 2023, said Doug Robison, the Idaho president for AgWest Farm Credit.

“This growth outpaced that of plant products,” he noted.

However, both categories fared well in 2024.

USDA put the total value of animal product exports from Idaho at $1.07 billion in 2024, a 10 percent increase from 2023.

The total value of plant product exports from Idaho was put at $1.77 billion in 2024, a 6 percent increase.

“Beef exports led the way for livestock, achieving an impressive 20.5 percent gain for the year,” Robison noted. “This surge was primarily driven by higher export volumes….”

Plant export volumes showed variability, he said, “but were strongly supported by the growth in the fresh and processed vegetable categories representing potatoes.”

The total value of processed vegetable exports from Idaho was $367 million in 2024, up 5 percent, while fresh vegetable export value was $188 million, also up 5 percent from 2023.

Both these categories are heavy on potato products.

The total value of wheat exports from Idaho reached $310 million in 2024, up slightly from $307 million in 2023.

Total value of exports under the “feeds and other feed grains” category were set at $129 million, down 15 percent from $152 million in 2023.

Corn export value dropped from $25 million to $29 million while pork exports jumped from $6 million to $21 million.

The total value of processed grain product exports fell from $83 million to $81 million.

The USDA data shows a steady increase in Idaho farm product exports over the past decade, from $1.84 billion in 2015 to $2.84 billion in 2024.

During that same period, plant product exports have gone from $1.2 billion to $1.77 billion, while animal product exports have gone from $633 million to $1.07 billion.

Idaho’s 2025 farm export numbers are expected to be released by USDA this fall.