On July 11, 2025, Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Ambassador of Thailand, and Consul-General Katanawadee Kalayanamit, along with their delegation, held discussions with Ms. Billi Hunt, Executive Director of the Iowa Cultivation Corridor, and Mr. Ryan Carroll, Senior Director of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, regarding the expansion of bilateral trade between Thailand and the State of Iowa.

The discussions highlighted shift in Thailand’s import, from mostly manufactred goods in the present, to increased importation of agricultural goods—in alignment with Thailand’s “Kitchen of the World” policy. The Thai private sector is seeking to import high-quality agricultural products, especially corns from Iowa, to enhance value-added production for re-export, particularly to countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

Ms. Hunt and Mr. Carroll affirmed Iowa’s readiness and willingness to meet the demand from Thai businesses to import corns from Iowa. They also inquired about Thailand’s interest in importing other agricultural products, including livestock, especially soybeans and pork—areas in which Iowa has both the capacity and high-quality supply.