Michelle Bekkering, deputy undersecretary for trade and foreign agriculture affairs at the USDA, arrived in the Dominican Republic on Monday to lead an agribusiness trade mission to expand market access and boost U.S. agricultural exports. The delegation includes 47 agribusinesses, trade organizations, and representatives from three state departments of agriculture. “This trade mission will connect U.S. exporters with key buyers, tapping into Latin America’s growing demand for high-quality American agricultural products, supporting rural prosperity, and keeping American agriculture globally competitive,” Bekkering said. The Dominican Republic is a prime opportunity for U.S. producers, with an expanding middle class, steady economic growth, and a growing hotel and restaurant industry. It’s the fourth-largest market for U.S. agricultural products in the Western Hemisphere. Consumer-oriented products continue to drive this growth, with increasing demand for fresh fruit, dairy products, as well as wine and distilled spirits. The U.S. supplies 44 percent of the country’s agricultural imports.
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