EXPORT BEHAVIOR OF LOUISIANA AGRIBUSINESS FIRMS

The United States is a party to several trading blocks, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, and is a signatory to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The impact of the new trading environment on the agribusiness sector depends on the business activities of individual firms. A survey of agribusiness firms was undertaken to gather information on their exporting experience and plans. The responses of exporters and non-exporters are presented. The likelihood of exporting increased with the size of a firm, both in terms of employee numbers an annual sales. The survey showed that for the majority of firms, exports accounted for less than 10% of total sales and that only a small number of companies had used government programs intended to aid exporters. These results indicate that agribusiness firms could benefit from programs that educate them on sources of export assistance.