New State Export Data Shows Notable Growth

According to U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank, new state export data shows 29 states set new records for export sales in 2012. In total, 35 states achieved merchandise export growth in 2012, and 20 of those states experienced growth of at least five percent or more.

Total merchandise exports from all 50 states helped contribute to the record-setting value of goods and services exports in 2012, which reached $2.2 trillion. Nationally, jobs supported by exports increased to 9.8 million in 2012, up 1.3 million since 2009. This puts us ahead of schedule to meet the President’s goal of adding two million export-supported jobs by the end of 2014.

As President Obama emphasized in his recent State of the Union address, the Administration is committed to giving businesses all the tools they need to expand their exports—including negotiating new trade agreements—in order to support jobs across the United States.

Eleven states achieved double-digit export growth in 2012 as compared to 2011. Those states include: New Mexico (+42 percent); Arkansas (+36 percent); Nevada (+28 percent); North Dakota (+26 percent); West Virginia (+26 percent); Washington (+17 percent); Wyoming (+17 percent); Louisiana (+15 percent); Michigan (+12 percent); Colorado (+11 percent); and Kentucky (+10 percent.) These 11 states provided an extra boost to U.S. exports, with states such as New Mexico ramping up its export sales to its largest market, Israel, by 193 percent. Arkansas increased exports to its fourth leading market, France, by 117 percent. Colorado also boasted a 63 percent leap in exports to Brazil, as well as 20 percent growth in exports to Turkey. Exports from West Virginia to South Korea increased 61 percent.

Nationwide, 2012 U.S. merchandise exports to countries with which the U.S. has a trade agreement outpaced other markets nearly two to one. This included exports to: Oman (+22 percent); Panama (+20 percent); Costa Rica (+19 percent); Chile (+18 percent); Jordan (+18 percent); Colombia (+14 percent); Australia (+13 percent); Peru (+12 percent) and Mexico (+9 percent).