USDA Launches Agribusiness Trade Mission to the Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, July 14, 2025 — Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering arrived in Santo Domingo today to lead an agribusiness trade mission sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture 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 working to strengthen economic ties with the Dominican Republic. 

“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,” said Deputy Under Secretary Bekkering.

The Dominican Republic presents a prime opportunity for American producers, with an expanding middle class, steady economic growth and a growing hotel and restaurant industry. It ranks as the fourth-largest market for U.S. agricultural exports in the Western Hemisphere and is the top export destination among the six countries covered by the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Since the implementation of CAFTA-DR, U.S. exports to the Dominican Republic have increased from $800 million in 2007 to $2.2 billion in 2024 – a 6% increase from the previous year – with the United States supplying 44% of the country’s agricultural imports.

Consumer-oriented products continue to drive this growth, with increasing demand for fresh fruit, dairy products, wine and distilled spirits, and dog and cat food.

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