President Obama is traveling to northern Oregon tomorrow to visit the headquarters of Nike and discuss the ways that both large and small American businesses can benefit from increased access to trade. The President’s trade deal — the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — would open up new markets, support high-quality jobs, protect the environment, raise human rights and labor standards around the world, and level the playing field for American workers.
While every state stands to benefit from the President’s trade deal, few states would benefit more than Oregon. Exporting a record $20.9 billion of Made-in-America goods to the world in 2014 and supporting 86,000 jobs throughout the state, trade is a substantial driver of Oregon’s economy. Also, three out of Oregon’s top five export markets will be covered by the TPP, and this high-standards trade deal will further unlock opportunity for businesses and foster even greater economic and job growth.
From Portland to Medford, nearly 6,000 Oregon companies exported in 2013. And while the President is visiting one of the state’s largest businesses tomorrow, 88% of these Oregon businesses were small and medium-sized businesses — generating more than a third of the state’s total exports of merchandise in 2013.
Whether a cup of morning tea or a ride to work, these are small businesses that Oregonians depend on — and in turn, these businesses depend on accessibility to world markets in order to expand and hire more employees.
Here are some of Oregon's small businesses that stand to benefit from the President's trade deal: