Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and a 13-member delegation have returned from a trade mission to Costa Rica and Guatemala in an effort to strengthen agricultural export opportunities for Iowa’s farmers. Coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the mission included representatives from Iowa’s beef, corn, pork, and soybean industries. The delegation met with agricultural leaders and business representatives to promote Iowa’s high-quality grain and protein products. Naig says, “Our delegation enjoyed meeting with customers in Costa Rica and Guatemala. We thanked them for their business, and we learned more about how we can further strengthen our trading relationship going forward. Trade matters to Iowa, and these face-to-face meetings are the best way to build connections in key markets as we seek to export significantly more Iowa products.” Costa Rica and Guatemala continue to increase U.S. agricultural imports, with Guatemala importing $1.9 billion and Costa Rica $956 million in U.S. farm products in 2024. Iowa companies alone exported $145 million to Guatemala and $75.1 million to Costa Rica last year. The trade mission included policy discussions, business development meetings, and market insights as Iowa seeks to expand its role in Central America’s growing agricultural sector.
