U.S. agricultural exports dropped to $12.8 billion in the first 5 months of fiscal year (FY) 1986 (Oct. 1985-Feb. 1986), 20 percent below exports in the same period of 1985. U.S. agricultural imports rose to $8.6 billion_in the first 5 months of FY 1986, up 6 percent over levels in. the same period of 1985. The U.S. dollar continued its decline from February 1985 into the early months of calendar year 1986 as longterm interest rates fell. California replaced perennial leaders Iowa and Illinois as the top U.S. agricultural export State in FY 1985 (Oct. 1984-Sept. 1985). The export share of U.S. farm production fell in FY 1985 to 17 percent, its lowest level in 13 years. The costs of commercial shipping services, which transport most agricultural exports, influence exporters' profits and add 15-30 percent to the prices of exported products. The primary farm importers, except for recnet entrant Saudi Arabia, remained the same from 1976 through the period 1980-1984, although their ranking changed slightly. The United States became a net importer of Canadian farm products for the first time when U.S. agricultural exports f·ell 17 percent in 1985.