Recent information from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that St. Joseph is one of the leading small cities in terms of export growth.
Of 387 metropolitan statistical areas in the country, St. Joseph is ranked 170th for total value of exports. In Missouri, St. Joseph is ranked third behind St. Louis and Kansas City.
“We continue to see the export of local products grow,” said R. Patt Lilly, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. “Since 2009, exports of St. Joseph-made products have almost doubled.”
In 2013, local companies exported products estimated at $867,747,535, a growth of almost 5 percent from 2012.
“If we lived on a coast, you’d think about exports and global trade more often,” Mr. Lilly said. “Being in the Midwest, you don’t often think that the food processor, animal health company or manufacturer you pass by is probably sending products from its facility overseas.”
St. Joseph being a leader in exports for small cities means job stability, investment by companies and that St. Joseph is poised for future growth as the global market continues to grow.
“We are fortunate that agricultural-related products continue to lead the way in U.S. export growth and, with our agricultural-based economy, this means more jobs and new investment in our community,” Mr. Lilly said.
Located just 30 minutes north of Kansas City, the Conference of Mayors’ economic report listed St. Joseph as the seventh fastest-growing economy in 2013. St. Joseph is ranked fourth in the nation in real gross domestic product growth, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and was ranked by the Milken Institute as 29th among the country’s best performing small cities in 2012. For more information on St. Joseph, visit www.choosestjoseph.com.
