16th-18th
Centuries |
 17th
century
Tobacco is the first important American export
18th century
Colonies exported tobacco, rice, indigo, grain, and meat products |
| 1776-99 |
1789
First tariff act, for revenue only
1789-1860
The tariff was a perennial subject of contention between the
agricultural interests of the South and West and the commercial
interests of the North
1790
Value of tobacco exports; $4,355,176 or 44% of total exports |
| 1800 |
 1800-09
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $23 million or 75% of
total exports |
| 1810 |
1810-19
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $40 million or 87% of
total exports
1815-60
Cotton was by far the most important agricultural export
1816
Tariff of 1816 included protection for wool, sugar, hemp, and flax |
| 1820 |
 1820-29
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $42 million or 65% of
total exports
1828
Tariff of Abominations opposed by the agricultural South |
| 1830 |
1830-39
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $74 million or 73% of
total exports
1833
Tariff Act of 1833 began tariff-reducing trend that lasted until the
Civil War |
| 1840 |
1840-49
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $90 million or 65% of
total exports
 |
| 1850 |
 1850-59
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $189 million or 81% of
total exports
1851-60
Average annual value of cotton exports; $124 million or 54% of total
exports
1854-57
Crimean War provided boom for U.S. agricultural exports, especially
wheat |
| 1860 |
1860-69
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $182 million or 75% of
total exports
1865-80
Wheat exports increased sharply |
| 1870 |
1870-79
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $453 million or 79% of
total exports
1871
Horace Capron mission to develop Japanese agriculture |
| 1880 |
 1880-89
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $574 million or 76% of
total exports |
| 1890 |
1890-99
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $703 million or 71% of
total exports
1890
McKinley Tariff included many agricultural commodities
 |
| 1900 |
1900-09
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $917 million or 58% of
total exports
1905
International Institute of Agriculture established
|
| 1910 |
 1910-19
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $1.9 billion or 45% of
total exports
1913
USDA's Office of Markets established to promote farm marketing |
| 1920 |
1920-29
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $1.94 billion or 42%
of total exports
1921-22
Tariff acts raise rates for agricultural and other imports
 |
| 1930 |
1930-39
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $765 million or 32% of
total exports
1930
Hawley-Smoot tariff raised rates to prohibitive levels, prompting
retaliation from other countries
1939
Technical agricultural collaboration with South American countries |
| 1940 |
1940-46
Overseas assistance during emergency
1940-49
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $2.42 billion or 22%
of total exports
1943
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration established
1945
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations established
1946
International Emergency Food Council established
1947
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established working
procedures that have since substantially reduced tariffs between
member nations
1948
Foreign Assistance Act provided for European Recovery Program
1949
International Wheat Program |
| 1950 |
 1950-56
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $3.53 billion or 22%
of total exports
1953
The Foreign Agricultural Service of USDA is created to help U.S.
farmers and producers export their products through market promotion
and development, supplier credit systems, cooperative agreements,
foreign production estimates and other programs.
1954
Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act (Food for
Peace) |
| 1960 |
 1960-69
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $5.76 million or 22.9%
of total exports
1963, 1974
World conferences highlighted world food problems
1964
Trade Expansion Act |
| 1970 |
1970-79
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $19.8 billion or 19%
of total exports
1971
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research organized
to fund regional research institutes in developing countries
1972
Increased exports to Soviet Union and elsewhere absorbed
agricultural surpluses, especially of grains and oilseeds
1979
Grain embargo against the Soviet Union following its invasion of
Afghanistan |
| 1980 |
1980-90
Average annual value of agricultural exports; $35.6 billion or 15%
of total exports
1980's
European grain and animal exports became more competitive with U.S.
products
1981
U.S. agricultural exports peaked at 43.8 billion, then declined
until 1987
1981
President Reagan lifted the grain embargo against the Soviet Union
1988
The U.S.-Canada trade accord initiated free trade in all
commodities, including farm products
1990
Negotiations began for a free-trade agreement with Mexico |
| 1990-2000 |
1993
North American Free Trade Agreement is signed and ratified by
Canada, Mexico and the United States, greatly expanding trade
between these countries. |
