What is our global responsibility?
Trade between different groups of people develops when each has something the other wants. When Europeans arrived, American Indians traded furs for blankets, iron pots and firearms they could not make themselves. The first Midwestern American settlers moved beyond self-sufficiency quickly, feeding corn to hogs and shipping pork to eastern cities. Iowa farms became a food basket for the world, producing corn, soybeans as well as meat and shipping it around the world.
Iowa and Global Trade
Agricultural products and farm equipment are Iowa’s top exports. In 2019, Iowa was the second largest exporter of U.S. farm goods. Corn, pork and soybeans top the list of farm products. With the insatiable demand for energy, fuels produced from plant corn and soybeans (ethanol, biodiesel, etc.) have moved toward the top of the list of Iowa’s most valuable exports in dollars. Iowa ranks in the middle of states for manufactured goods. Tractors, combines and other farm machines are also major Iowa exports.
In 2019, Canada purchased $4.2 billion in Iowa products, followed by Mexico at $2.3 billion. Japan and China were third and fourth. Tensions and trade barriers between nations can greatly impact a country’s ability to buy and sell goods. Crop harvests in far-away countries like Brazil and Australia can impact prices for Iowa farmers. Automobiles account for a huge share of the dollars Iowans spend on foreign products. China, Mexico, Germany and Japan sell cars and car parts that end up on Iowa highways, but Canada is the overall top exporter to Iowa.
Trade Brings New Iowans
Iowa has also “imported” people. In the mid-19th century, immigrants from Northern Europe countries, like Germany and Ireland, flowed onto the Iowa prairies to establish farms, small towns, and river cities along the Mississippi. Toward the end of the century, there was a shift to southern and eastern Europe with the draw of work in the coal mines and meat packing plants.
Wars of the 20th century displaced families who looked to Iowa for refuge. In 1975, Gov. Robert Ray organized a resettlement program for refugees from Southeast Asia. He encouraged churches and other non-profit groups to sponsor families to find housing and employment and to learn English. Those who were fleeing wars in Bosnia and several African countries also arrived in Iowa. Immigrants from Mexico and a number of Latin and South American countries came to Iowa seeking employment, such as in meatpacking plants. Marshalltown, Sioux City, Perry and other towns came to have sizable populations of Spanish speakers.
Iowa may be in the middle of the country, but it is indeed part of a global world. It both buys and sells products on the world market. Its people reflect diverse ethnicities. Around the world, when people think of Iowa, they think farms, but Iowa is much more.
Supporting Questions
What is fair trade?
- "What is Fair Trade?" Date Unknown (Document)
- Edna Ruth Byler, 1968 (Image)
- Fair Trade Coffee House, 2004 (Document)
- “Worldly Goods Brings unique, fair trade products to Ames,” September 26, 2010 (Document)
- Artisan Herlinda Artola Creates Textile Art in Peru, 2016 (Image)
- Artisan Daniel Doku Makes a Wind Chime from Recycled Glass in Ghana, Date Unknown (Image)
- Constitution of Fair Trade, September 23, 2018
- “My Oma and Me — Building Bridges with Art,” March 12, 2019 (Document)
- My Fair Trade, September 3, 2019 (Image)
- Open Letter from a Certified Fair Trade Farm in Amado, Arizona, Date Unknown (Document)
How does the United States build relationships with other countries?
- Iowa Farmer Feeds Bershire Pigs, ca 1952 (Image)
- Operation "Noah's Ark" for Korea, ca 1952 (image)
- "Operation Pig Lift" Newspaper Article, August 1952 (New Magazine)
- Berkshire Piglets in Korea, 1954 (Image)
- "Iowa's Peace Tradition" Excerpt from The Goldfinch, September 1991 (Document)
- "Iowa Peace Heroes- Helping Victims of War" Excerpt from The Goldfinch, September 1991 (Document)
- Iowa's Peace Heroes-Fighting Hunger" Excerpt from The Goldfinch, September 1991
How has Iowa accepted refugees to the state?
- Children Participating in a Migrant Education Program in Mason City, Iowa, ca. 1960 (Image)
- Vietnamese Refugees Arrive in Iowa, 1975 (Image)
- Adult ESL Class in Houston, Texas, June 10, 1982 (Image)
- Governor Robert Ray Talks about "The Right Thing to Do" form Iowa PBS, 2007 (Video)
- Governor Robert Ray Talks about "Iowan's Open Their Hearts" from Iowa PBS, 2007 (Video)
- “Remarkable Refugee” from Iowa PBS, 2007 (Video)
- Galleria de Paco Restaurant in Waterloo, Iowa, August 17, 2016 (Image)
- “Nearly 1000 Refugees Have Settled in Iowa So Far This Year” from Iowa Public Radio, October 7, 2016 (Audio Recording)
- “In Iowa, Liberian Couple Reaches Out to Fellow African Refugees” Article, February 2, 2019 (Document)
- “New Iowan: Mihnet” from Iowa PBS, Date Unknown (Video)
- “Sponsoring a Refugee Family” Pamphlet from Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services, Date Unknown (Document)
"What is Fair Trade?" Date Unknown
Description
This Traidcraft website describes what fair trade means. It provides a simple definition for students to use, as well as examples of fair trade practices.
Edna Ruth Byler, 1968
Description
After being struck by the overwhelming poverty she saw on a trip to Puerto Rico in 1946, Edna Ruth Byler was moved to take action. She believed that she could provide sustainable economic opportunities for artisans in developing countries by creating a…
Fair Trade Coffee House, 2004
Description
This document describes a business that is directly related to fair trade practices in the United States. Fair Trade Coffee House, which is located in Madison, Wisconsin, is an independently-owned business that serves fair trade certified coffee and espresso.
"Worldly Goods Brings unique, fair trade products to Ames," September 26, 2010
Description
This is an Iowa State Daily article about the store Worldly Goods, which is a nonprofit, fair-trade store that offers a variety of products from more than 40 different countries, including coffees, chocolates, clothing and jewelry. It also offers other…
Artisan Herlinda Artola, Painting with wool, Date Unknown
Description
Herlinda Artola, who is making a wall hanging by 'painting with wool', a technique where vibrant colors of wool are woven to make a piece of art. She works with Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade partner group Intercrafts, Peru, in Peru.
Artisan Daniel Doku, making a wind chime from recycled glass, Date Unknown
Description
Artisan Daniel Doku, who is the owner of (Ten Thousand Villages) fair trade partner group in Ghana, Dan Beaded Handicraft. He is making a wind chime from recycled glass.
Constitution of Fair Trade at the University of Iowa, September 23, 2018
Description
This document is the Fair Trade constitution that was passed at the University of Iowa (UI) in Iowa City. The university has been named an official “Fair Trade University” upon the passing of a student-led resolution that calls for a university commitment…
"My Oma and Me–Building Bridges with Art," March 12, 2019
Description
This blog post from the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), entitled “My Oma and Me — Building Bridges with Art” describes how the MCC got started with fair trade. It also focuses on the impact this work has had on both the author, Madeline Kreider Carlson…
My Fair Trade, September 3, 2019
Description
This is an image from the Iowa business My Fair Trade, which carries a variety of ethically-produced clothing, jewelry, shoes and home accessories. The business is owned by Rachel Schreck in Mason City, Iowa.
Open Letter from a Certified Fair Trade Farm in Amado, Arizona, Date Unknown
Description
This open letter was written to the Fair Trade Certified organization thanking them for their help in becoming Fair Trade Certified. Since becoming a part of the Fair Trade community, this farm (Wholesum Harvest) has been able to re-invest in health…
Iowa Farmer Feeds Berkshire Pigs, ca. 1952
Description
An unidentified Iowa farmer feeds corn to newly-transported pigs. Many orphanages wrote to Heifer International requesting they send livestock to them. Berkshire pigs from Iowa were one of the animals that were flown to South Korea.
…
Operation “Noah’s Ark” for Korea, ca. 1952
Description
This photograph shows four men dressed in suits posed next to an airplane that says “Transocean” on the stairway leading up to the aircraft. Each man is holding an example of the animals and insects that the Heifer Project was sending as aid to South…
Operation "Pig Lift", 1952
Description
This two-page article published in The Berkshire News, August 1952. The text tells about 200 pigs flown from Des Moines to Korea by Northwest Airlines through the Heifer Project Committee and Christian Rural Overseas Program. The hogs came from several…
Berkshire Piglets in Korea, 1954
Description
In 1952, Heifer International began sending livestock to Korea in order to repopulate the country’s livestock population that had been destroyed in the war and also to provide food for refugees and those working to rebuild their lives. Heifer…
“Iowa’s Peace Tradition” Excerpt from The Goldfinch, September 1991
Description
This excerpt from The Goldfinch highlights humanitarian efforts in Iowa. The document focuses on the work of Monticello students to participate in global peace.
“Iowa Peace Heroes - Helping Victims of War” Excerpt from The Goldfinch, September 1991
Description
This excerpt from The Goldfinch highlights the humanitarian efforts of Iowan Herbert Hoover’s to help victims of war after World War I.
“Iowa Peace Heroes - Fighting Hunger” Excerpt from The Goldfinch, September 1991
Description
This excerpt from The Goldfinch highlights humanitarian efforts by Iowan Norman Borlaug, an agricultural scientist who focused his life’s work on finding innovative ways to feed the global population.
Children Participating in a Migrant Education Program in Mason City, Iowa, ca. 1960
Description
This photograph shows children – Alberto Paz, Virginia Guzman, Dominga Castillo, Mario Castillo, and Junior Castillo – listening to recordings of their voices on a tape recorder. Each of the kids reads portions of a story to have their voices recorded.…
Vietnamese Refugees Arrive in Iowa, 1975
Description
This photograph shows an unidentified Vietnamese woman and child in the crowd of Vietnamese refugees Iowa recruited and welcomed to the state, in this 1975 photo from Des Moines. Iowa was the first state to offer resettlement assistance to refugees in…
Adult ESL Class in Houston, Texas, June 10, 1982
Description
English as a Second Language (ESL) is an English language education study program for non-native speakers. ESL programs have small classes for students to get individual attention from their teachers. Students learn English and also participate in…
Governor Robert Ray Talks about “The Right Thing To Do” from Iowa PBS, 2007
Description
Former Iowa Governor Robert Ray talks about his decision to bring refugees from Southeast Asia to Iowa to live in 1975.
Governor Robert Ray Talks about “Iowans Open Their Hearts” from Iowa PBS, 2007
Description
Former Iowa Governor Robert Ray discusses Iowa's response to the Tai Dam refugees in 1975.
“Remarkable Refugee” from Iowa PBS, 2007
Description
Clementine Msengi, a refugee from Rwanda who survived a war that killed nearly one million people in her country including most of her family, is featured in this Iowa PBS video.
Galleria de Paco Restaurant in Waterloo, Iowa, August 17, 2016
Description
Owner Paco Rosic calls his Galleria de Paco restaurant in Waterloo, Iowa, "the Midwest Surprise.” Rosic is a graffiti artist and refugee from the Bosnian War of the early 1990s, and he created this art while lying on his back on industrial scaffolding, 12…
“Nearly 1000 Refugees Have Settled in Iowa So Far This Year” from Iowa Public Radio, October 7, 2016
Description
This Iowa Public Radio broadcast is about how nearly 1000 refugees have been resettled in Iowa in 2016. Larry Bartlett, Director of Admissions for the U.S. State Department, says that while these new Iowans come from all over the world, the one thing they…
“In Iowa, Liberian Couple Reaches Out to Fellow African Refugees” Article, February 2, 2019
Description
This article from Voice of America focuses on the work of Sam and Tricia Gabriel in Des Moines, Iowa. The Gabriels were resettled in Iowa from Liberia as children. They founded the Genesis Youth Foundation to provide services and mentorship to the…
“New Iowan: Mihnet” from Iowa PBS, Date Unknown
Description
“Sponsoring a Refugee Family” Pamphlet from Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services, Date Unknown
Description
This brochure from the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services outlines the responsibilities of Iowans who become refugee family sponsors.
Additional Resources
- Zakery's Bridge: Children's Journeys from Around the World to Iowa by Kay Fenton Smith and Carol Roh Spaulding.
This children’s book focuses on nine children who share their family stories of immigrating to Iowa. Each journey begins in a different county. - Fair Trade Pioneer: Edna Ruth Byler by Sumaya Steele
This biography highlights the life of Edna Ruth Byler and her work to support free trade. - Ten Thousand Villages
Find out the history of the Ten Thousand Villages organization that focuses on promoting the work of international artisans. - “A World of Good: Retailer Ten Thousand Villages has been a pioneer in fair trade, ethical practices”
This article focuses on the work of Ten Thousand Villages, which has been a pioneer in fair trade and ethical practices. - Fair Trade Campaigns: “How the University of Iowa Became the First Fair Trade University in the Big Ten”
This blogpost details the process that the University of Iowa became one of the first universities to commit to fair trade. - Sierra Club: Support the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act of 2009
This letter was written in support of the TRADE Act in 2009 by the Sierra Club, a prominent conservation organization. - Iowa Folklife: Our People, Communities and Traditions
This website highlights examples of folklife throughout the state and provides a learning guide to teachers. - “Open Arms in Iowa Concludes: Different Era For Refugees In Iowa”
This interview is with former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, who gives his perspective regarding refugees coming to Iowa. - “Refugee Communities Seek Out Iowa To Put Down Roots”
This story from Iowa Public Radio highlights how two groups worship separately in their own primary languages, but come together, praying and singing in multiple languages, with interpretation provided by church members. - “Fields of Opportunities”
This article from the Iowa Center for Advancement reflects on a new humanitarian crisis, and Iowans sharing their perspectives on life as a refugee. - Library of Congress: Day Day interview
This Library of Congress audio highlights Day Day’s life at a refugee camp in northwestern Thailand in 1991 until he followed friends to Waterloo, Iowa, and began work in a Tyson pork plant. He looks forward to the possibility of someday taking what he had learned in the United States (and in the U.S. labor movement) back to Burma to assist the people there. - “The Iowa Derecho Put Refugee Food Workers at Even Greater Risk”
This article highlights the hardships of refugees who work in meat packing plants during the pandemic and while surviving the 2020 Iowa derecho, a powerful storm that ripped through the state. - “Moving Beyond Graffiti,” “This isn't your typical downtown renaissance” and “No Boundaries”
These three articles share additional information about Paco Rosic. - 10 Questions for Young Changemakers
The 10 Questions for Young Changemakers is a project within the Democratic Knowledge Project (DKP).
Iowa Core Social Studies Standards (5th Grade)
Listed below are the Iowa Core Social Studies content anchor standards that are best reflected in this source set. The content standards applied to this set are middle school-age level and encompass the key disciplines that make up social studies for fifth-grade students.
| No. | Standard Description |
| SS.5.14. | Explain how various levels of government use taxes to pay for the goods and services they provide. |
| SS.5.15. | Explain how trade impacts relationships between countries. |