Business Roundtable says trade spurs Nevada jobs

Nevada’s exports support more than 350,000 jobs, according to Business Roundtable, a business organization made up of firms employing nearly 16 million workers nationally.

The commercial group, providing various highlights of Nevada’s and other states’ exports in a release from Washington, D.C., said in 2013 the Silver State exported nearly $16 billion in goods and services. It said $8.7 billion in goods and $9.2 billion in services were exported from Nevada that year.

The precise number of Nevada workers who are involved, according to the group: 350,466.

“Trade is vital to economic growth and jobs in Nevada and the United States,” said John Engler, Business Roundtable president. He said creation of more trade opportunities is vital.

Other data from the organization: Nevada’s trade-related employment grew almost five times faster than total employment from 2004 to 2013; 85 percent of Nevada’s exporters are small or medium sized and have fewer than 500 employees; in 2013, a quarter of Nevada’s goods exported went to free trade pact partners, and customers in 190 nations and territories buy the Silver State’s goods or services.

A message included with the release is the roundtable group is urging Congress and the Obama administration to enact bipartisan trade promotion authority soon.