For the first nine months of 2008, Wisconsin agricultural exports topped $1.5 dollars, setting a new record for growth.
Jen Pino-Gallagher with DATCP says that's up about seven-percent from the same time period last year. Dairy exports saw the largest growth, up almost 39-percent.
Pino-Gallagher says the weakening of the US dollar contributed to some of that growth, essentially creating conditions for many foreign countries to view Wisconsin products as "on sale" during the past several months.
Ag exports saw a 15-percent jump in the first half of 2008, but dropped off in the past few months. Pino-Gallagher says there are many possible reasons for that happening, such as softer prices for some key exports or the global market suffering from the nation's economic crisis.
Annually, agricultural products generate about $51 billion for the state economy.
