About Us

The Central Valley AgPLUS Food and Beverage Manufacturing Consortium (AgPLUS) is one of 12 regions across the country designated as an Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) in 2015 by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Regions awarded the designation are tasked with developing and executing strategies for increasing investments into six important pillars of their manufacturing ecosystem and receive the support of 11 federal agencies and preferential consideration for $1.3 billion in existing federal funding opportunities.

Official EDA Press Release (7/8/15)

The Central Valley

The AgPLUS region includes 28 counties. The Central Valley is an economic powerhouse, with $34.7 billion in farm gate value and $11.0 billion exports. Its food and beverage manufacturing produces $43.2 billion in annual output. Accelerating the growth of value-added food and beverage manufacturing brings added economic opportunity and shared competitive advantage to the region, California and the nation by minimizing leakage of $4.1 billion of output and 5,000 jobs outside of the region.

Vision

To advance the region’s agriculture-related manufacturing economy, targeting industries in the food and beverage manufacturing sector whereby raw agriculture goods are transformed into value-added products by core manufacturing activities.

Mission

To foster the growth and creation of food and beverage businesses and middle-skills manufacturing jobs in the Central Valley. The AgPLUS Implementation Strategy builds upon the Central Valley’s unique asset base, committed partnerships and networks to:

  • Capture more value-added cluster manufacturing and supply chain activity within the region, including to meet new demand for local specialty products such as through Farm to Fork efforts;
  • Provide the workforce with needed skills through successful career pathways models;
  • Accelerate the development and adoption of innovative technologies so the Central Valley’s food and beverage manufacturing industry is the most efficient, safe, healthy, viable and sustainable nationally and a global center of innovation for next generation processing and supply chains;
  • Facilitate the transformation of the industry to adapt to the short and long-term impacts of the drought, now in its fourth year, and climate change; and,
  • Strengthen business operations and access to capital.

 

Central Valley AgPlus Proposal (5/22/15)
Central Valley AgPlus IMCP Designation (Update: November 2015)
Central Valley AgPlus Fact Sheet (March 2015)