Iowa has long been the heart of America’s food production, and continues to grow its role as a producer for the world, exporting $18.4 billion worth of goods in 2023. Iowa’s exports also benefit many other parts of its economy as well, with international trade supporting more than 379,000 jobs in the state.

• In Iowa, 379,400 jobs were supported by trade, representing 18.1% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2022, 3,369 companies exported goods from Iowa of which 83% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2021, 66,700 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Iowa exported $18.4 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2023, a 2% increase compared to 2022. Iowa’s largest markets were:⁵
  • Canada ($5.5 billion)
  • Mexico ($3.3 billion)
  • China ($1.1 billion)
  • Brazil ($1.1 billion)
  • Japan ($985 million)
• Agricultural exports are important to Iowa's economy, totaling $16.5 billion in 2022, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $284 million in exports from 36 companies in Iowa.⁷
• Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $172 million in exports from Iowa companies.⁹

• From 2022-2023, 8,261 international students were enrolled in Iowa colleges and universities and contributed $251 million to the Iowa economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 2,496 Peace Corps volunteers from Iowa have served in dozens of countries overseas.¹¹

1. https://s3.amazonaws.com/brt.org/Business-Roundtable_TradeandAmericanJobs2022.pdf
2. https://www.businessroundtable.org/policy-perspectives/trade-international/benefits-of-trade-data
3. https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/edb/edbrel2021.pdf
4. https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2023-08/imne0823_0.pdf
5. https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/state-economy-and-trade-factsheets
6. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets.aspx#.U2ERwbQzqX8
7. https://www.exim.gov/customer-map/
8. https://www.mcc.gov/work-with-us/mcc-business/vehicles/
9. https://ustda.gov/ustda-success-by-state/
10. https://www.nafsa.org/policy-and-advocacy/policy-resources/nafsa-international-student-economic-value-tool-v2
11. https://www.peacecorps.gov/stories/peace-corps-announces-top-2023-volunteer-producing-states/