Strong sales of grain and feed have increased the forecast of U.S. ag exports for fiscal 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported last week.

For fiscal 2017, the forecast of $139.8 billion for U.S. agricultural exports represents an increase of $2.8 billion from last quarter’s forecast and $10.2 billion from fiscal 2016, largely due to expectations in grain/feed and soybean exports, the USDA said in...