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Minnesota ag exports hit record high

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Dec 11, 2012 at 10:37 am

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KNSI) Minnesota’s agricultural exports hit a record $6.8 billion last year, according to figures released by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. That's up 13 percent or about $750 million over the previous year.

The state’s top exported commodities - soybeans, corn, red meat, wheat, sugar, dairy, and feeds - accounted for more than 80 percent of the state’s total agricultural exports.

Agriculture is Minnesota’s second-largest exporting sector with major markets in China, Mexico, Japan, and Canada.

Nationally, Minnesota is the 6th largest agricultural exporter in the U.S.

Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson says more than one-third of the state’s total agricultural production is exported, representing a significant economic contribution to the state and its rural communities.