DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig recently returned from leading a 16-member trade mission delegation to Japan and Korea, Feb. 17-25, which focused on the food and agriculture industry, with the aim of expanding trade and investment opportunities.

“Trade matters to Iowa and we are grateful for our strong trading partnership with the people of Japan and South Korea,” Naig said. “Iowa is a proven, consistent and reliable supplier of products to our trading partners around the world.”

Coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the mission’s participants included Iowa companies involved in meat and food processing, and representatives from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, the Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Beef Industry Council, the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and the Iowa Soybean Association.

The Iowa companies participated in meetings specific to their market entry or expansion needs, with the Iowa Economic Development Authority cooperating with the U.S. Grains Council, the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and the U.S. Soybean Export Council, to identify business prospects for the delegation.

The delegation’s itinerary consisted of stops in Tokyo and Seoul, and mission highlights included trade policy discussions, grain and protein import information sessions with leading organizations, and meetings with agriculture industry representatives on business development opportunities.

Japan is Iowa’s third largest export destination, and the second-leading export market for pork and beef products. In 2022, Iowa companies exported $1.8 billion goods to Japan, and $886 million to South Korea. Iowa companies exported $551 million in meat products to Japan in 2022.

Currently, Japan is the second largest destination for Iowa corn. In 2022, Japan imported $500 million in Iowa corn. South Korea is the fourth largest destination for Iowa pork and beef ($348 million), and sixth largest destination for Iowa corn ($87 million).

Moreover, South Korea is also Iowa’s second largest international market for ethanol ($71.2 million), with significant potential for growth of biofuel exports to both Japan and South Korea, according to the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

April Hemmes said her goal on the mission was “to promote how and why I raise sustainable soybeans on my farm,” she said. “Promoting the crops we raise here in Iowa is easy to do and very important. GMO is still an issue in this part of the world, so explaining how they are safe and why I use them was a huge part of my involvement on this mission.” Hemmes is an Iowa Soybean Association District 2 director and Hampton, Iowa, soybean farmer.

Mike Ver Steeg, Iowa Corn Growers Association district #1 director, and Inwood, Iowa, farmer, and Cale Juergensen, a fourth-generation Churdon, Iowa, farmer, represented the association.

Ver Steeg said the Iowa Corn Growers Association’s primary goal for participating in the mission was to further positive trade relations with Japan and South Korea for corn in all forms, including DDGS, ethanol, and corn-fed meat.

“The mission was an important step in further discussions on valuable ethanol market expansion, grain shipments, and exporting of meat products to these two countries,” he said. “Japan and South Korea are important trading partners for U.S. corn.”

He said meetings with grain merchandisers and Japan’s Ministry of Energy were highlights of the Japan mission.

“Currently, Japan is looking for more affordable, environmentally friendly fuel options, making them an emerging ethanol market as they consider the value of higher blends of ethanol,” he said.

“South Korea meetings with the Korean Feed Association, discussing additional trade of U.S. DDGS and corn proved to be valuable conversations as South Korea is currently the second largest export market for U.S. Ethanol,” he added.

Hemmes said, “We had several meetings with the end users of soybeans. Some I had met previously on visits to South Korea with the United Soybean Export Council, as well as Japan with the Iowa Soybean Association.”

Like Ver Steeg, she said one visit that stood out to her was with the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry in Japan.

“When they shared their consumers’ concerns about genetically modified seeds, I started to tell my story about how and why I have used GMO seed for almost 30 years, and how the technology has allowed me to manage my no-till farming practices.”

But, she added, “There’s still work to be done in promoting genetically modified seed as safe in parts of the world.”

“The reason Iowa crops are well received in Japan and South Korea is the fact that they don’t have an abundance of arable land,” Hemmes said. 

“South Korea has a population of 51 million people and their arable land suitable for crop production is only 22 percent, which means they, too, are a net importer of U.S. products in order to feed their people,” Ver Steeg added.

Trish Cook, who recently was elected the first woman to led the Iowa Pork Producers Association as president in the organization’s history, and who was a mission participant, said, “Japan and South Korea are important trading partners for U.S. pork as they are both in the top five of countries that we export pork to.

“Exports of pork add $55-$60 to the value of each pig sold in the U.S.,” she said. “The Japanese import mostly pork loins, while the South Koreans import mostly bellies and back ribs.

“Although they buy both, their preference is on the purchase of chilled pork versus frozen pork, but it is difficult as it takes three weeks to get U.S. pork product shipped and through customs,” she added.

“South Korean diets are eating more meat and less grains than in the past,” she said. “In Japan, meat consumption overtook that of seafood consumption in 2018, so it is a great market for U.S. pork.

“We have free trade agreements with both Japan and Korea, so that is also helpful in our sale of our pork to them,” she added. “Neither country is self-sufficient in producing enough food to feed their population, and we are happy to help out by selling them tasty pork.”

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