Gov. Phil Bredesen yesterday announced an export program that will allow the state to team up with Australia and show grass-roots local businesses how to better access foreign markets.

Export Tennessee is a partnership between Tennessee and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The state Department of Economic and Community Development will facilitate the partnership with the U.S. Chamber and local chambers statewide by arranging a series of meetings with business owners to help them learn how to identify potential foreign markets and navigate the export process.

"I clearly believe that learning about the process of exporting Tennessee products to foreign markets is the most beneficial approach for both the health of Tennessee's economy and for the prospect of creating more jobs in Tennessee," Bredesen said.

As part of the program, the ECD will lead a trade mission of small and medium-sized Tennessee companies to Australia next year.

Tennessee is one of the three fastest-growing export states in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Nashville Export Assistance Center. Australia is the state's 10th-largest trading partner, purchasing nearly $370 million in Tennessee products last year, up more than 60% from five years ago, officials said.

"This is about Tennessee's companies, but, in particular, Tennessee's home-grown companies," said Gary Quinlan, deputy chief-of-mission from the Australian Embassy in Washington.

Joining Bredesen were ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber and Leslie Schweitzer, senior trade adviser for the National Chamber Foundation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

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