New executive actions to boost rural exports also released U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced new data that shows 26 states achieved records in goods exports in 2014, while eight additional states experienced growth in merchandise exports over 2013 levels. Total merchandise exports from all 50 states helped the U.S. achieve the fifth consecutive record-setting year of goods and services exports, which reached $2.35 trillion in 2014.
“Exports are critical to economic growth and job creation in communities across the country,” said Secretary Pritzker. “With 95 percent of the world’s consumers living outside the United States, opening more markets to ‘Made in America’ goods and services is fundamental to our nation’s competitiveness, job creation, and the economic security of our families.
“We know that 11.3 million American jobs are supported by exports. The Obama Administration has set an ambitious trade agenda that will help our businesses, workers, and innovators compete on a level playing field around the world, so they can expand and hire here at home. Now is the time for Congress to pass bipartisan trade promotion legislation, so we can enact new trade agreements with high standards that uphold our values and protect our national security.” The 26 states that set new records for exports in 2014 include: Additional facts about state exports in 2014.
In addition to efforts to broker free trade agreements, today the President is announcing new executive actions to help rural small businesses access export-related information and assistance. As part of his “Made in Rural America” initiative launched in February 2014, the Administration has brought together federal resources to help rural businesses access markets at home and abroad. Building from feedback received at events across the country in 2014, the White House Rural Council has developed a number of new commitments to connect rural businesses with services to expand exports and to address export-related challenges identified by rural businesses.
Examples of initiatives being announced today to support rural exports include: To find more information about each state's exports, please visit www.Trade.gov/FTA
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
