On July 12, 2025, H.E. Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Ambassador of Thailand to the United States, and Consul General Katanawadee Kalayanamit, accompanied by their delegation, met with Mr. Rod Pierce, President of R&J Pierce Ltd., Ms. Becca Anderson, Market Development Manager, the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and Mr. Jacob Seematter, Commercial Manager, Louis Dreyfus Company. The meeting focused on gaining insights into advanced technologies and innovations in corn cultivation and precision agriculture. Discussions also addressed opportunities to expand agricultural imports from Iowa to Thailand and to enhance technological cooperation to add value to Thailand’s agricultural sector. Following the meeting, Mr. Pierce led the delegation on a tour of his corn farm, where they observed various advanced agricultural equipment and machinery used in the cultivation process.

On this day, the Ambassador and the delegation also took the opportunity to meet with Thai vendors at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers’ Market and the Ankeny Chamber SummerFest in Ankeny, Iowa.