Located in the Midwestern region of the United States, an area often referred to as “America’s Heartland,” Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River on the west. The state shares borders with the State of Minnesota to the north and the State of Missouri to the south. Three of the nation’s main interstate highways pass through Iowa. Interstate 35 goes north and south from the Canadian to the Mexican borders, Interstate 80 runs east and west from New York to California and Interstate 29 provides integral access to markets in western Iowa up to Canada. The major American metropolitan areas of Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha and Minneapolis/St. Paul are only a few hours’ drive from Iowa’s borders. Iowa is perfectly positioned to export products around the globe.
The State of Iowa is a top agriculture state with a diversified economy. It is first in the nation in corn, pork and egg production and the second in soybean production. Iowa is also home to the world’s largest cereal mill (Quaker Oats), the world’s largest caramel color plant (Sethness) as well as the largest spice plant (Tone’s) in North America. In addition, the state also has core strengths in various other sectors including advanced manufacturing, biosciences and financial services.
