Expansion Management

Southern Idaho Ranks as Top Food Manufacturer

July 22, 2015

The area secured a record-setting seven projects in 10 months during 2012-2013, including new investments from food giants Chobani, Monsanto and Clif Bar.

Adrienne Selko

Idaho’s six-county region known as "The Magic Valley" was recognized earlier this month as a top 12 U.S. manufacturing community by the U.S. Commerce Department’s Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership) – one of four U.S. regions in the Food Manufacturing category.

Southern Idaho secured a record-setting seven projects in 10 months during 2012-2013, including new investments from food giants Chobani, Monsanto, Clif Bar and Frulact Group as well as expansions of Glanbia Foods, McCain Foods and Calva/Brewster.

Southern Idaho will receive a number of direct and significant benefits because of this federal designation, including preferential consideration for federal funding, food-related talent attraction and training opportunities, direct access to federal economic development resources and national branding as a select U.S. Manufacturing Community.

“This designation will directly impact the sustainability and future growth of our region’s food production, processing and science industry cluster,” said Carleen Herring, COO of Southern Idaho’s Region IV Development Association.

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The Southern Idaho region has a strong agricultural base of row crops, sugar beets, potatoes, barley, winter/summer wheat, oats, seed production, pork processing, cattle/calves, dairy production/processing, aquaculture, food science/R&D, and lamb, mink and honey production.

Idaho ranks in the top third of U.S. states for food processing, and Southern Idaho leads the state’s agribusiness industry by contributing well over half of the state’s nearly $9.7 billion agriculture receipts for 2014.

In addition to natural resources, the region offers food companies the infrastructure to process, package and transport agriculture products.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.