The Hawkeye – Branstad talks job creation

BURLINGTON – Republican gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad has campaigned since January on the promise of creating 200,000 new jobs during the next five years.

During a stop on Thursday at Southeastern Community College, the state’s longest-serving governor unveiled more details as to how he would set about achieving that goal.

“Economic development at its core is about identifying and creating opportunities to do what we must aggressively do and that is sell entrepreneurs and businesses on the benefits of locating and creating jobs in Iowa,” Branstad said. “(W)e must renew our commitment to international trade as well. … We’re importing much more into this country than we’re exporting.”

Branstad’s proposal is to create an Expanded Trade Agency, within the public-private economic development group he put forward last month, that would have among its agenda items the goal of growing the state’s exports by 20 percent over the next five years. Before he can enact his agenda, however, Branstad has to oust incumbent Democratic Gov. Chet Culver.

A Rasmussen poll last month gave Branstad a 52 to 36 percent lead over Culver – the double-digit figure has largely remained unchanged since February, with the exception of a post-primary boost for Branstad who bested two challengers on June 8 – but there are still more than 45 days of campaigning before the Nov. 2 election.

“There’s 114,000 people out of work, and there’s a lot of people that are going to be graduating from our colleges and universities over these next five years,” Branstad said. “Right now, the unemployment rate is the highest it’s been in 24 years, and I know it’s higher here in southeast Iowa than it is some other parts of the state, so this is a critical area, and there’s a need for job creation.”

The former governor said he believed the 20 percent increase could create nearly 13,000 new jobs.

Branstad said he also would push for Congress and President Obama to pass a free trade agreement with South Korea so products, especially pork products, can begin to be exported to the Asian nation.

“I understand that under this agreement exports of U.S. pork would expand from $215 million a year to $870 million a year, and since Iowa is the leading pork producing state … we would see a good share of that benefit coming to Iowa,” Branstad said. “Farmers have been waiting for three years and can’t wait any longer.”

Branstad, who previously served as the state’s chief executive from 1983 to 1999, said he has experience with expanding Iowa’s exports, when he worked with Japan to open the beef market there.

Read the full story here.

Read the original story at Branstad for Governor