The central message of this book is that state trade offices have the potential to be the nexus of a comprehensive statewide trade development system. It outlines the principles that should guide efforts to design such a system and provides examples of efforts to carry out one or more of these principles. It provides state and regional policymakers and practitioners with the tools necessary to rethink their trade assistance services and to create an integrated network that can help businesses, communities, and regions compete internationally. A Rural Economic Policy Program Book