by Brad Peck

Idaho may be leery of Cap-and-Trade, but on international trade they are very gung-ho.  Here is Governor Otter after a trade mission to Mexico:

"The Mexican market offers great opportunities for Idaho companies. The success we experienced on the mission highlights the importance of personal relationships and face-to-face communication in business. The contacts made during the mission will support Idaho jobs and help bring greater stability and diversity to our economy."

Idaho's agricultural exports are, ahem, no small potatoes, but as Kaygeeco shows Idaho's trade reach is very above ground. Kaygeeco manufactures liquid and powder cleaning compounds for sale under its own label as well as by contract private labels. They use only the finest grades of natural, biodegradable raw materials in their products, which are available in sizes from 4-ounce containers to 55-gallon drums. You can read their story here, and a quick look at the what and where of Idaho exports (values in thousands of $):