Agribusiness attitudes towards exporting and assistance needs

After a drop off in the mid 1980's United States agricultural exports have improved but still are about 40 percent below their peak in 1980. This study examines the barriers that firms are faced with to look at who is and who is not exporting and why. Firm profiles are also examined to see the impacts this has on a firms probability of being an exporter, export intender, or a non-exporter. Secondly, this study looks at the assistance needs of firms and how the knowledge and\or use of these assistance services impacts the export status of the firm. The results from this study suggest that firm size does not influence export status, however value of sales appears to be influential. It was found that firms with more years of business experience, located in sole locations, and that did not process their own products were less likely to export. Firm profiles showed the importance of assistance services to the increased probability of firms being exporters and those firms who produced dairy products, were sole locations, located in the northeast, and in business for a long time having almost no chance of being an exporter. Overall the results would suggest the targeting of assistance to certain firm profiles. It would be most beneficial for the U.S. to concentrate on those firms that are most likely to be exporters in order to catch up with the figures of the early eighties and to take advantage of the vast exporting opportunities that are out there.