Global Opportunities and New Markets

In the last decade, Brazil has been one of the fastest growing emerging markets. It is currently the largest economy in Latin America, and seventh largest in the world. This week’s trade spotlight highlights the importance of U.S.-Brazil trade relations and how the relationship benefits American farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, and workers.

As one of the fastest growing emerging markets, and a country that the International Monetary Fund projects is poised for continued growth, Brazil is an important trading partner for the United States. In 2010, U.S. goods and services trade with Brazil was $81 billion, with exports accounting for $52 billion and imports accounting for $29 billion. This resulted in a goods and services trade surplus of nearly $23 billion for 2010, a 61 percent increase from 2009.

Brazil is the 10th largest goods trading partner with the U.S., with goods trade surplus of more than $11 billion in 2010. Trade in services between the U.S. and Brazil totaled more than $21 billion in 2010. Additionally, the services surplus for the United States was more than $11 billion.

In 2010, Brazil was the United States’ 8th largest goods export market. U.S. goods exports to Brazil were more than $35 billion, a near 36 percent increase from 2009. Overall, U.S. exports to Brazil accounted for nearly 3 percent of total U.S. exports in 2010. The top U.S. exports to Brazil were machinery, aircraft, and electric machinery. Additionally, the U.S. exported $578 million worth of agricultural products to Brazil in 2010. The leading categories of agricultural exports were wheat, cotton, dairy products and sugars and sweeteners.

Exporting matters! It matters to firms that profit from exporting and it also matters to the national economy as a whole. Federal, state and local governments devote billions of dollars each year to encourage exporting among firms of all sizes and in all sectors. here's how RTM, hosted by USTDA can help you grow your business and strengthen the American economy.

Reverse trade missions provide unique opportunities to foster business relationships and build long-lasting partnerships between U.S. businesses and our overseas partners. During the past year, USTDA hosted more than 50 reverse trade missions to introduce U.S. businesses to more foreign delegates and business opportunities than ever before.

A key part of USTDA’s support of the National Export Initiative, these carefully planned missions enable foreign delegates to visit the U.S. to observe first-hand the design, manufacture, and demonstration of goods and services that can help the delegates achieve their development goals. The reverse trade missions are planned to target current and near-term business opportunities, creating immediate results and export successes for U.S. businesses.

This past year, USTDA introduced more than 600 foreign delegates to more than 1,000 U.S. company representatives across the United States. These foreign delegates included ministers, mayors, and senior governmental and private sector officials from emerging markets.

This week, the United States is hosting the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers and Economic Leaders’ Meetings in Honolulu, Hawaii. As President Obama’s lead negotiator and spokesperson on trade, I will host a meeting for my fellow APEC Trade Ministers in preparation for President Obama’s meeting with APEC Leaders later this week and to build on the success of the APEC Trade Ministers’ meeting held in Big Sky, Montana last May.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is providing $30 million in grants to states, territories, and the District of Columbia, to help increase exporting by small businesses during the next 12 months. The grants were authorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, under the State Trade and Export Promotion Program (STEP).