Members of the South Carolina agriculture industry recently met with Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator John D. Brewer and South Carolina Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Laurie C. Lawson, to come up with ideas on how to expand the export market for farm commodities in the state
“John and I believe we have a responsibility to South Carolina farmers to try and increase the exports in our state,” said Lawson. “This would create more jobs and enhance the economic well being of not only our farmers but the entire state.”
The meeting comes as President Obama unveiled plans last week to double U.S. exports within the next five years in hopes of stimulating job growth.
The group of nearly 10 officials from farm organizations and state agricultural agencies discussed methods to expand the Charleston port for grain exports and decided to first examine the cost and feasibility of opening a grain export elevator at the port.
Grain would be an addition to South Carolina’s larger exports of soybeans, poultry, cotton and forestry products.
In 2007, a total of 3,575 companies exported goods from South Carolina, according to a report by the Department of Commerce. Of that number, 2,933 were small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees. Last year, merchandise shipped from South Carolina's ports totaled $16.5 billion.
—by South Carolina Farm Service Agency
