by Brad Peck
Some quick facts from TradeRoots on the benefits of trade for Indiana then straight to the video goodness from an Indiana business owner, Dr. Toby Malichi, who was in the building (for Trade Month) and on Capital Hill yesterday talking trade.
"The last two years have been all-time records for inbound investments, proving our state can compete with any place in the world." - Governor Mitch Daniels
- Indiana exported nearly $26 billion in manufactured goods to the world in 2007.
- 84% of the nearly 5,500 Indiana companies that exported goods in 2006 were small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.
- In 2007, there were 550,000 Indianans employed in the manufacturing sector.
- There are 139,900 Indiana workers employed by foreign companies.
- In 2006, Indiana's agricultural exports were estimated at $2 billion and the state's reliance on agricultural exports was 35%.
- Under NAFTA, the volume of U.S. corn exports to Mexico has risen over 42% since 1994.
- Agricultural exports support nearly 24,200 jobs both on and off the farm in food processing, storage, and transportation.

