The value of U.S. agricultural exports reached $150 billion during 2020 while agricultural imports were $146.4 billion. The U.S. agricultural trade surplus recovered to $3.7 billion. How prepared is your company or industry to take advantage of the opportunities and meet the challenges this implies? How do COVID-19 related developments change the situation? Market Solutions LLC research-based consulting provides Insight for Action to help clients build and maintain new and existing markets worldwide for a full range of commodities and consumer products. Clients appreciate our consistently rigorous, insightful analysis and practical recommendations, communicated clearly to meet the needs of a variety of audiences. Agricultural trade figures reflect the WTO definition adopted by USDA and the U.S. Department of Commerce in January 2021. This now includes ethanol, distilled spirits, manufactured tobacco products and rubber and allied products. The definition of agriculture continues to exclude seafood and forestry products, for which U.S. exports were valued at $11.9 billion in 2020, while imports were valued at $42.4 billion.

Benchmarking Digital and Social Media Advertising and Public Relations Strategies Market Solutions LLC works with clients around the globe to target consumer and trade customer segments, guide messaging and media selection, and measure and track brand awareness and advertising and public relations impacts. We help clients assess options for social media, print, television, radio and other media as part of a cost effective strategy to achieve market impacts.

What do Chefs and Restaurants want? Key Elements in Menu Development, Product Selection and Supply Chains. Market Solutions LLC has conducted focus groups, survey research and other analysis to help clients understand how best get their products on the menus of a variety of foodservice establishments and formats and keep them there successfully. We have worked with leading food industry publications and organizations of culinary professionals to help clients understand what it takes to help chefs and restaurant operators succeed in satisfying their customers.

Building Sales in North America and Worldwide. Market Solutions LLC works with food and agriculture industry clients to develop strategies to build sales through retail, foodservice and food processing channels. For example, a major food industry client came to Market Solutions LLC to review its strategies in the United States and Canada. Starting with qualitative and quantitative consumer and trade research, Market Solutions LLC helped the client understand opportunities for growth and barriers to increased sales. We worked with the client and its agency to develop and support the launch of a new brand and advertising themes and content for consumers, retailers and the food service industry. Over time we also worked with the client to update its business development strategy and provided hands-on support to develop a contact management data-base, trade show strategy and set priorities for media targeting.

The U.S.Congress has passed a new 800+ page, $867 billion "farm bill." How will it affect agricultural production, producer market opportunities and incomes, research, risk management, conservation, nutrition and trade? What about impacts on other food and nutrition programs that actually account for much of total spending? Market Solutions LLC has analyzed impacts of food, agriculture and trade policy changes in the U.S., Europe and many other parts of the world. Contact us to discuss analysis to assess how policy changes in the bill may affect your business.

Getting Maximum Value from Consumer and Industry Research Spending. Market Solutions LLC has worked with some of the largest food and beverage advertisers in the U.S. and internationally to help make the most of their market research investments. Our work has included in-depth interviews with key industry stakeholders and conducting and/or reviewing tracking studies, consumer segmentation analysis, and a variety of targeted studies and data purchases aimed at better understanding consumer purchases and consumption trends, at home and away from home. Market Solutions LLC findings and recommendations have been used to develop and evaluate advertising and to strengthen the organization, staffing and role in strategy development of the market research function.

International, National, State and Local Policy and Regulatory Analysis. Whether the goal is to encourage local crop and livestock production and harvesting, or to add value through processing or exports, clients around the world have called on Market Solutions LLC to help understand policy issues, define and evaluate potential consequences of policy alternatives, monitor regulatory developments, address trade barriers and provide ongoing tracking and analysis.

Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain Issues are becoming increasingly important to the competitive position of agricultural producers, processors and manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators. Market Solutions LLC has conducted numerous analyses of transportation and infrastructure challenges, including rail, water and highway transportation issues in North America and worldwide. Market Solutions LLC research recently provided the foundation for bringing together a number of producer and industry groups to form a new coalition to address 21st century transportation and infrastructure issues, options and solutions.