Developments in the macroeconomy have inevitable consequences for agriculture. Key factors linking agriculture to the U.S. and global macroeconomy are exchange rates, international trade, foreign and domestic income, employment, interest rates, and energy costs. International and domestic macroeconomic shocks can cause major changes in the values of these indicators, resulting in changes in a country's agricultural prices, production, consumption, and trade.

ERS work covers research and analysis on the effects of macroeconomic conditions on U.S. and international agriculture, including impacts of the recent economic crisis and the factors in commodity price increases. ERS provides data sets on exchange rates and on macroeconomic indicators for a number of countries, and takes a lead role in preparing USDA's 10-year baseline projections on major agricultural commodities in the United States and selected countries.

Last updated: Wednesday, May 30, 2012

For more information contact: Mathew Shane and David Torgerson