This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

2010 was a good year for American farmers. They earned an estimated 82 billion dollars. That is almost one-third more than they earned last year. And it is 26 percent higher than the ten-year average.

The numbers are from the Economic Research Service at the Department of Agriculture. They represent net farm income, a measure of profitability of farm operations.

Values for grain and oilseed crops are up about three percent from last year. The value of animal production is up by almost seven percent.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack points out that agriculture is one of the few major areas of the economy with a trade surplus. A surplus of 41 billion dollars is predicted in 2011. That would be an increase of almost 18 billion dollars from this year.

At the same time, farm exports are expected to break the all-time high set in 2008. The Agriculture Department says exports in this coming year could top 126 billion dollars.

The largest buyer of agricultural products is expected to be Canada. But farm exports to China are predicted to come within 500 million dollars of Canadian purchases.

Secretary Vilsack says countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East are also buying more from American farmers.

Poor growing conditions overseas played an important part in higher prices for American crops this year.

Charlotte Hebebrand is chief executive of the International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council in Washington. She says drought conditions had a big effect over the summer.

CHARLOTTE HEBEBRAND: "There were severe weather problems, not just in Russia but also in some of the other former Soviet Union countries."

Wheat prices rose after Russia halted wheat exports, although Russia later eased the ban.

Wheat used to be America's top crop, says economist Charlotte Hebebrand.

CHARLOTTE HEBEBRAND: "What's interesting, though, is that wheat production has actually declined over the past few years because corn has become the most popular crop."

Corn, or maize, is mostly fed to animals or made into ethanol fuel and high-fructose corn syrup. But Ms. Hebebrand says with the recent increase in wheat prices, American farmers might plant more wheat again.

Corn and wheat are the two largest crops supported by the government through subsidy payments.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. You can find transcripts and MP3s of our programs at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Jim Tedder.

oilseed: 油籽

trade surplus: a situation in which a country's exports are worth more than its imports 對外貿易盈余；貿易順差

International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council: 國際食品和農業貿易政策理事會

maize: a tall plant grown for its large yellow grains that are used for making flour or eaten as a vegetable; the grains of this plant 玉蜀黍；玉米

ethanol fuel: 乙醇燃料

high-fructose: 高果糖

syrup: a sweet liquid made from sugar and water, often used in cans of fruit 糖水（罐頭水果常用）

Related stories:

Scientists recycle oyster shells to aid Chesapeake Bay

Food crisis could push millions of people into poverty

Food safety is 'a global problem'

Already struggling with food security, Kenya faces another drought

（來源：VOA 編輯：崔旭燕)