Our monthly report on U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services is called the FT-900. The report includes import and export data on trade between the United States and foreign countries. While the data in the report are primarily at the national level, did you know you can get export data at the state level?

We release export data on a quarterly and annual basis for each state, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. State export data refer to the state where merchandise originated and are grouped by industrial categories, which are classified by the North American Industry Classification and the Harmonized Tarriff System.

State export data is collected through the Automated Export System (AES). When a filer submits Electronic Export Information (EEI) to the AES, the shipment is connected with the “State” selected in the “EEI: USPPI” section. Additionally, the foreign country is connected with the “Country of Destination” selected in the “EEI: Shipment Information” section.

For example, let’s say a manufacturer in Washington sold airplane parts to a buyer in China. The manufacturer then ships the parts to a port in California, where they will load on a vessel to transport to China. Which state will be selected for this shipment?

• Answer: Washington

State export data are useful in a couple of ways:

• Documenting trends of export trade by state;
• Helping businesses realize the potential for growth opportunities.

If you are interested in obtaining state export data, check out “State Trade by Commodity and Country” on the FTD’s website. For more detailed data, check out USATrade Online.

If you need assistance, please contact the Data Dissemination Branch at 1-800-549-0595, option 4.