Spain Is More Important to U.S. Agriculture Than You Might Think

Recent comments suggesting the United States should reduce trade with Spain have generated plenty of political headlines. The trade data tell a different story, one of a growing export market that supports American farmers, ethanol producers, livestock feed suppliers, and specialty crop growers.

By Agata Kingsbury, Demetrica Analytics

International trade is often discussed in political terms. Countries are portrayed as winners or losers, trade deficits become headlines, and diplomatic disputes can quickly dominate the conversation. Agricultural trade, however, rarely fits into such simple narratives.

Behind every export shipment are grain elevators, processing plants, ethanol facilities, trucking companies, railroads, ports, and thousands of farms that depend on reliable international customers. Trade relationships are built over decades and are often far more interconnected than political rhetoric suggests.

Recent comments from the President suggesting the United States should cut trade with Spain prompted us to look beyond the headlines and examine what the data actually show.

The answer may surprise many people. Although Spain is not among America's largest agricultural trading partners, it has quietly become one of its fastest-growing export markets.

A Growing Relationship

Chart of U.S. agricultural trade with Spain (2021–2025) showing imports, exports, and trade deficit. U.S. exports increased significantly in 2025, reducing the bilateral agricultural trade deficit.

The United States imported approximately $3.4 billion worth of agricultural products from Spain in 2025, while exporting nearly $2.5 billion, resulting in an agricultural trade deficit of about $924 million. At first glance, that deficit might suggest Spain is simply another country selling more agricultural products to the United States than it buys.

The trend tells a different story. Only a year earlier, the agricultural trade deficit approached $1.8 billion. It narrowed by almost half in 2025, not because imports from Spain collapsed, but because American agricultural exports surged. That distinction matters. Rather than becoming less important as a customer, Spain has become significantly more important.

Small Share, Big Growth

Spain represented approximately 1.5% of total U.S. agricultural export value in 2025, ranking 14th among all export destinations. Measured by physical shipments, however, Spain ranked even higher, approximately 11th, accounting for nearly 2% of all U.S. agricultural export volume. Those percentages may appear modest. Yet international trade is not simply about identifying the single largest customer. It is about maintaining a diverse portfolio of reliable buyers.

In 2025, U.S. agricultural exports to Spain increased 39% in value while shipment volumes jumped an impressive 83% compared to the previous year. Even during the first five months of 2026, export values remained 13% above the same period last year, suggesting that the relationship continues to strengthen. At a time when U.S. exporters face slowing demand in some traditional markets, this level of growth deserves attention.

Feeding One of Europe's Largest Livestock Industries

The composition of exports helps explain why Spain has become increasingly important.

Corn accounted for the largest share of export growth. U.S. shipments reached nearly 3.6 million metric tons in 2025, valued at approximately $784 million, making Spain one of the largest overseas buyers of American corn. Spain also re-emerged as an important destination for U.S. sorghum, importing more than 400,000 metric tons after virtually no purchases the previous year. That development is particularly noteworthy for American sorghum producers, who have experienced considerable uncertainty following reduced demand from China in recent years. Every additional export market capable of absorbing meaningful volumes becomes increasingly valuable as global trade patterns evolve.

Spain's importance extends beyond grains.

As one of Europe's largest pork producers and exporters, Spain requires significant quantities of feed ingredients. That demand supports imports of U.S. soybeans and, increasingly, soybean meal. While soybean exports declined modestly in 2025, shipments of soybean meal more than doubled. That trend aligns with a broader structural shift occurring within American agriculture. The United States continues to expand domestic soybean crushing capacity, driven largely by growing demand for renewable fuels and vegetable oils. Increased crushing inevitably produces larger supplies of soybean meal, making export markets essential for balancing the market. Countries with large livestock sectors, such as Spain, become natural long-term customers.

More Than Just Grain

Spain's purchases are not limited to bulk commodities. Horticultural products represented the largest export category by value, exceeding $1 billion in 2025. Tree nuts, particularly almonds, remain a cornerstone of that trade. California growers have spent decades building overseas markets for almonds, and Spain remains an important destination for these high-value specialty crops.

Ethanol also deserves attention. Although exports totaled a comparatively modest 60.5 million liters in 2025, ethanol exports represent another source of demand for American corn. Every export shipment supports domestic ethanol plants, grain handlers, and corn producers throughout the Midwest, reinforcing the broader economic impact of international trade.

Viewed together, Spain is purchasing a remarkably diverse basket of American agricultural products, feed grains, oilseeds, ethanol, tree nuts, planting seeds, livestock products, dairy products, and more. That diversity makes the relationship considerably more resilient than one built around a single commodity.

Trade Works Both Ways

Agricultural trade with Spain is far from one-sided. American consumers also benefit from products that Spain produces exceptionally well. Spanish exports to the United States are led by horticultural products, olive oil, vegetables, wine, processed foods, spices, cocoa products, coffee, and a wide range of Mediterranean specialty foods. Olive oil alone accounted for nearly $900 million in U.S. imports during 2025, reflecting Spain's position as the world's leading producer.

Rather than competing, the two countries largely exchange products that reflect their respective agricultural strengths. The United States exports feed grains, oilseeds, ethanol, and tree nuts. Spain exports olive oil, wine, vegetables, specialty foods, and other products that complement American production. This is precisely the type of trade relationship economists often describe as mutually beneficial.

Why This Matters Now

The timing is important. American agriculture is operating in an increasingly uncertain global environment. Exports to China remain well below the levels seen several years ago. Brazil continues expanding its presence in global grain and oilseed markets. Tariff disputes periodically reshape trade flows, while the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement adds another layer of uncertainty for North American agricultural trade. Against that backdrop, growing export markets become increasingly valuable.

Spain may never rival Mexico, Canada, or Japan as America's largest agricultural customer, nor is it expected to replace the scale of China's demand. It doesn't have to. The more important lesson is that agricultural exports depend on a broad network of dependable customers rather than a single dominant buyer. Losing access to one growing market rarely means those sales automatically shift elsewhere. Export relationships take years to develop and require investments in logistics, quality standards, commercial partnerships, and customer confidence. Once disrupted, rebuilding those relationships can take far longer than it did to lose them.

Looking Beyond the Headlines

Political debates naturally focus on diplomacy, tariffs, and negotiations. Agricultural trade tells a different story. The data show that Spain has become a growing and increasingly diversified customer for U.S. agriculture, supporting demand for corn, sorghum, soybeans, soybean meal, ethanol, almonds, and numerous other products. At the same time, American consumers continue to benefit from Spanish imports ranging from olive oil and wine to vegetables and specialty foods. In an era of shifting global trade patterns, the objective should not be simply to open new markets. Preserving and strengthening relationships with reliable existing customers may be just as important. Sometimes the most valuable trading partners are not the largest ones. Sometimes they are the ones quietly buying more every year.

Data source: U.S. Census, USDA Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS). Analysis by Demetrica Analytics. Agricultural trade values are defined by the USDA FAS agricultural product definitions in GATS. Ethanol volumes are reported separately in liters, consistent with USDA trade reporting methodology.