Building U.S. Agricultural Exports: One BRIC at a Time

After declining during the recession, U.S. protein exports have started to rebound with the global economy. The strength of the rebound will depend on the BRIC countries—Brazil, Rus-sia, India, and China—countries that account for more than 40 percent of the world’s consumers. In recent decades, rising incomes in these countries have created a growing middle class, resulting in one of the most dynamic agricultural trade markets on the globe. As incomes rise, people enrich their diets by eating more proteins. United States agri-cultural producers have seized these emerging market opportunities by boosting trade with these countries. Forecasts suggest the rising demand for protein in BRIC countries will propel U.S. meat exports in the future. Yet, a closer inspection of historical trade patterns with BRIC countries suggests that U.S. protein exporters may struggle to expand their share of these markets, for two reasons. First, BRIC countries are moving through differing stages of development, which may tilt the balance of food imports and domestic production. And second, Brazil has emerged as a juggernaut in agricul