A new study by Business Roundtable found that international trade supports 277,100 jobs in Nebraska, representing more than one out of every five jobs in the state.

Trade with Canada and Mexico alone supports 82,900 jobs in Nebraska, highlighting the need to preserve and strengthen the North American trading relationship by passing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement this year.

Exports from Nebraska to Canada and Mexico have increased by 661% since the implementation of NAFTA.

"The CEO members of Business Roundtable, who lead companies with more than 15 million employees, strongly support congressional passage of USMCA-implementing legislation this year," said Tom Linebarger, chairman and CEO of Cummins Inc. and chairman of the Business Roundtable Trade & International Committee. "We stand united to preserve and modernize North American trade, which supports over 12 million jobs and a strong U.S. economy."

The study — prepared by Trade Partnership Worldwide with the latest available employment data from 2017 — examines the net effects of both exports and imports of goods and services on U.S. jobs in all 50 states.

It also compared 2017 data with pre-NAFTA data from 1992. The study found that trade-supported jobs in Nebraska increased by 87% from 1992, when NAFTA was implemented, to 2017 — five times faster than total employment.

The study also reveals:

• Nebraska exported $3.5 billion in goods and services to Canada and Mexico in 2017.

• Goods and services exports account for 9.7% of Nebraska's total gross domestic product.

• Trade has a positive net effect on both the services and manufacturing sectors across the country.

Source: Business Roundtable, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.