Wholesale establishments numbered 6,755 in 1997, with sales of $38 billion. The most valuable categories of goods traded were agricultural raw materials, durable goods, groceries and related products, and farm supplies.
Retail sales totaled $26 billion in 1997, conducted by 19,647 establishments. Of the total number of establishments, automotive dealers accounted for 16%; food stores, 9%; and eating and drinking places, 30%. Food sales contributed $5.5 billion, and general merchandise sales added $3.9 billion to total retail sales.
The leading exported commodities are feed grains and products, soybeans and soybean products, and meats and meat products. Diversity has been rising with the addition of industrial machinery, instruments and measurement devices, electronics, specialized transportation equipment, and chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Total exports from Iowa increased by 22%, 11%, and 13% in the years 1995 to 1997, with a 3% decline in 1998 due to the Asian crisis, strong harvests worldwide, and a strong US dollar. Exports of goods from Iowa in 1998 had an estimated value of $4.9 billion.