A study released this month shows St. Joseph among the leading metro areas in the state for exports.

According to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, the most recent totals from the International Trade Commission and Bureau of Economic Analysis show continued growth in St. Joseph Exports with more than $1 billion in exports from local companies.

In 2015, St. Louis and Kansas City lead the state among metro areas with over $8.9 billion and $6.7 billion respectively. St. Joseph follows in third place. With the recent growth, St. Joseph now more than doubles Springfield, which shows annual exports at $442 million.

“As I like to say, St. Joseph is a community that makes things,” said R. Patt Lilly, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. “In fact, based on the recent data, 18 percent of the community’s gross domestic product (GDP) is made up of export products, the highest in our region of the country. Over the past five years St. Joseph’s exports have grown by at a healthy 56 percent. While the numbers speak well for St. Joseph’s economy, it is also why we talk about and support U.S. trade and exports, something that seems the center of much debate in Washington, D.C. these days. For now, though we can enjoy the news of continued economic growth.”

To view the study for exported goods from 2010 to 2015 released in March of 2017 CLICK HERE.