By Todd Kocourek 

Palm Beach Post

Sunday, August 03, 2008

There's been plenty of bad news for Florida's economy this year. Rising commodity prices and weakness in real estate have taken a heavy toll on many in the state.

The notable bright spot for Florida's economy appears to be international trade. The dollar's weakness is our exporters' strength, providing them with an enormous advantage and creating a powerful incentive for foreign investment in Florida.

The growing importance of international trade and investment has helped to diversify our economy and insulate it from recession, and it is in international business more than in any other sector of our economy that state government has a vital role to play. For 40 years, Florida governors have led these efforts through international missions on behalf of state businesses. Our chief executives have served as our chief salesmen to foreign markets, and they have helped to secure some of the state's most significant international business successes.

Governors of neighboring states have made similar efforts and reaped spectacular rewards that have transformed their economies and continue to make a major impact. Governors in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee played central roles in bringing billions of dollars in international industrial investments to their states, resulting in the growth of the auto industry in the Southeast even as it staggers in the Midwest.

An estimated 1 million Florida jobs are generated from international business. The global demand for Florida-produced manufactured goods generated $58.9 billion in 2007. Nearly 39,000 Florida businesses export, and most are small and midsized companies.

Focusing on trade is a smart strategy for Florida during these tough economic times. The criticism of Gov. Crist's European trade mission has been shortsighted, though it is regrettably predictable, based on the experiences of his predecessors. Florida residents and businesses should praise the governor and our state's business leaders for their efforts to create more jobs and prosperity through international trade.

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