The U.S. trade deficit shrank 28% in February, narrowing to its smallest in more than nine years, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Commerce Department reported today that U.S. exports climbed in February by 1.6% from the previous month, reaching $127 billion. Imports fell by 5.1%. A sharp global recession is restraining demand for U.S. goods and services in key overseas markets.

This is far cry from recent years when trade was adding a full percentage point or more to GDP, but the U.S. figures look pretty good compared with many Asian economies, which have registered export drops of 30% or more in recent months.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk's reaction is just the right policy response: "This new trade data underscores the need to open more world markets to U.S. farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and service providers, and to work with our trading partners to grow the global trading system again," he said.

It's worth remembering that the United States was the world's largest exporter in 2008. More than 57 million Americans work at companies that engage in international trade, according to the Treasury Department.

With so much at stake, opening world markets for U.S. workers, farmers and companies is more important than ever.