Summary

Creates a National Rural Export Center inside the U.S. Commercial Service and up to nine regional rural export centers to help rural businesses sell goods overseas. The centers must be set up quickly (national center within 180 days; regional centers within 1 year), provide opt-in market research and export planning, publish participation and export metrics, and maintain public websites with data and contacts.

• Creates a National Rural Export Center within the U.S. Commercial Service and allows up to nine regional rural export centers.
• National Center must be established at an existing Commercial Service office within 180 days; regional centers within one year.
• Centers must deliver opt-in, business- and product-specific market research and strategic export planning using existing Commercial Service data/resources.
• Centers are required to collect and publish participation metrics, follow-on assistance, and total export value facilitated.
• Each center must maintain a public website with data, best practices, and contact information.
• Regional centers operate subordinate to and under delegation from the National Center.
• Preference given to locating the National Center in offices that already support rural exporters and are not in major metropolitan areas.
• The text sets operational duties and timelines but does not authorize or appropriate specific funding in the provided sections.