USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering led a high-level delegation to the Dominican Republic last week with organizations that reflected a diverse range of agricultural products including seafood, dairy, rice, soybeans, and ethanol.

“I am honored to lead my first trade mission with this impressive delegation made up of 46 agribusinesses, trade organizations, and officials from Colorado and Montana departments of agriculture,” said Deputy Under Secretary Bekkering. “There is no substitute for doing business face-to-face, building trust, and strengthening long-term partnerships.”

The delegation of 38 businesses participated in more than 450 one-on-one meetings with vetted buyers representing more than 100 Dominican, Jamaican and Haitian importers. Sales are expected over the next several months and many new partnerships are in the works.

In bilateral meetings with the Minister of Agriculture Limber Cruz and the Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Small and Medium Enterprises Victor Bisono, Deputy Under Secretary Bekkering discussed priority issues including:

Re-establishing free market access for U.S. rice
Eliminating discretionary import licenses
Addressing the selective application of value-added taxes in selected U.S. products
Exploring opportunities for U.S. ethanol in gasoline blends

This was USDA’s fifth trade mission of 2025, with three remaining missions planned this year.