Clayton Agri-Marketing Inc.

04/13/2026

Finishing my trip in the Philippines as part of the US-Philippines Agribusiness Trade Mission with 58 US cooperators. The Philippines is the USA's 10th largest trading partner.

04/11/2026

On this Saturday morning in Manila our team was pleased to meet with Eric M. Harina, President, Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines and one of its biggest producers and advisors to the federation, Mr. Ben Jaro. We had a good discussion on the swine industry and impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on the local industry. The Philippines has been a great supporter of the US swine industry.

04/10/2026

Tony is spending 8 days in the Philippines part of a market assessment team and USDA Trade Mission. The USDA Trade Mission team is made up of 58 cooperators from across the USA that exports products to the Philippine market. Since our trade reputation has suffered, everyone is back trying to win friends and influence trading partners.

Many meetings with Bureau of Animal Industry, National Dairy Authority, Sheep and Goat breeders, Pork Producers, Federation of Cattle Raisers Association, are held to assess the growth of these industries.

04/02/2026

Tony was pleased to partipcate in the Illinois Program- Moving Agriculture Forward: Livestock, Rivers, and Careers for a tour of the St. Louis Export Facility on March 18th. The tour group was comprised of Illinois Agriculture Teachers. Tony and Brian Kinsey, Assistant Director, Marketing and Business Development, St. Louis Lambert International Airport lead the tour and discussed the world topics affecting international trade and answering their questions. Good group and great discussions.

03/31/2026

Celebrating 30 Years of Clayton Agri-Marketing, Inc.

Thirty years ago, on April 1, 1996, I hung out the shingle for Clayton Agri-Marketing, Inc. in a one-room, 10’ x 10’ office as a one-person operation. It was always a bit of a joke that we started on April Fool’s Day—if the business didn’t make it, I could always say we were just kidding.

Thirty years later, I have traveled to more than 65 countries, done business in as many, and shipped over 200,000 animals to all corners of the world. What began as a one-person operation has grown into a global brand, supported by a talented team, with offices in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois, along with agent offices in 19 countries.

Along the way, CAMI has built friendships across many cultures, experienced things most people only dream about, and seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of the world. None of our success would have been possible without the trust of our clients—thank you.

I also want to recognize the dedication of CAMI’s employees, past and present. So many have come in early, stayed late, and worked through holidays—including Christmas—to help build what we have today. You have my sincere appreciation.

To the breeders, farms, ranches, veterinary clinics, laboratories, freight forwarders, truckers, airlines, shipping companies, USDA staff, and the many other partners who have provided genetics, service, and guidance along the way—I also extend my sincere thanks.

A very special thank you goes to my family. My wife, Evann, has been there every step of the way. To my children and grandchildren—who may have watched from afar, sometimes wondering why we celebrated Christmas in a hotel room with the last “Charlie Brown” tree we could find on Christmas Eve, or why we entertained customers in our home—thank you.

Thank you for your unwavering support, for embracing a life that exposed you to so much of the world, and for learning how to solve just about any modern-day problem. You’ve even managed to educate your teachers on Show and Tell Day.

It truly takes a village to make the export industry work, and we have been fortunate to work with some of the very best over the past 30 years and we will continue on to year number 31 and see what is over the next hill and taking on the challenges that come our way.

Thanks again!

Tony Clayton, President
Clayton Agri-Marketing, Inc.

03/01/2026

Another unloading video from the Bahamas this morning. Long voyage but all arrived in great condition.

03/01/2026

These animals won't be cold again!

02/26/2026

Just finished up our largest shipment of breeding sheep to the Bahamas earlier today. We had six farms involved from three states (Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin). Would like to pass along my thanks for everyone involved. David Rodman, Henry and Becky Shultz and LeeAnn Winters, Twin Ridges Farms all from Missouri; Kevin Slack, from Wisconsin; Chris Cahoon and Joyce Burnham from Illinois for supplying the sheep for this order. I would also like to thank Bruce Lane for coming out of retirement to consult on this order. A few pictures of the sheep and loading of the barge today that is head for the Bahamas. Took a while to load, but just like the song, "I was sitting on the dock of bay."

02/06/2026

Spent a week traveling in Qatar and Egypt in late January. Thanks to the Government of Egypt for hosting and look forward to our business in Africia 2026.

02/05/2026

America’s Broken Promise on Trade and Food, We Are Not Who We Think We Are!

For the third year in a row, the United States will import more agricultural products than it exports. That fact alone should stop us cold. For decades, American agriculture was not just an economic engine—it was a pillar of global stability and a cornerstone of U.S. leadership. Today, that legacy is eroding, and much of the damage is self-inflicted.

The Trump administration’s trade policy did more than disrupt markets; it damaged the U.S. brand. Tariffs imposed one day and lifted the next created an atmosphere of uncertainty that global buyers cannot afford. Agriculture depends on trust, predictability, and long-term relationships. When trade policy swings like a pendulum based on political pressure rather than strategy, international customers don’t wait around—they find new suppliers.

That uncertainty exposes a deeper problem: the United States no longer has a coherent long-term trade policy. Farmers plan years ahead. Export markets are built over decades. Yet U.S. trade decisions have increasingly been made in news cycles, not time horizons. The result is a system where producers are told to be resilient while policy remains reckless.

American farmers, often portrayed as rugged individualists, are not who we pretend they are under current policy. They are no longer competing freely in global markets; they are being backstopped by government checks to offset the damage caused by trade wars. This is not capitalism. It is a form of agricultural socialism—sustained by subsidies that attempt to paper over lost markets rather than restore them.

Perhaps most alarming is the loss of America’s role as a reliable food supplier. The United States once “fed the world,” not just because we could, but because buyers trusted us. Today, international consumers increasingly question whether U.S. food supplies will be disrupted by politics. When food becomes a political weapon, buyers look elsewhere—to Australia, Brazil, Vietnam to the Black Sea region, to anywhere stability seems more certain.

This shift has consequences far beyond farm income. Hungry people are dangerous people. Food insecurity fuels unrest, migration, and conflict. History is unambiguous on this point. Stable food systems help stabilize societies; unstable ones do the opposite.

Which raises a final, uncomfortable question: will food keep the peace in the future, and if so, who will supply it? If the United States continues down a path of short-term trade tactics, inconsistent policy, and subsidy dependence, the answer may be “not us.”

Trade policy is not just about dollars and bushels. It is about credibility, security, and leadership. If America wants to reclaim its role in global agriculture, it must choose strategy over spectacle, trust over tariffs, and long-term vision over political impulse. Otherwise, we will continue importing what we once proudly exported—and forfeiting influence we may not easily regain.

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12/21/2025

To our valued customers, suppliers, vendors and friends around the world, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! May you enjoy the best of the season and the most Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

12/09/2025

Cold night at Chicago O'Hara working outside loading pigs bound for South Korea. Thanks to everyone that braved the weather.