Genesee County continues to be one of the top-ranked counties in the country for growth of jobs in the food processing industry.
Genesee was rated seventh in the nation this year, among mid-sized municipalities, by the magazine Business Facilities.
It is the fifth time in the past decade the county has made the publication’s top 10 list for increased food processing employment.
The agricultural, food and beverage sectors in Genesee County employ approximately 1,500 people. Job numbers continue to increase.
Business Facilities is a national publication that focuses on site selection for business. The magazine provides annual rankings in categories such as food processing and job creation.
A driving force behind a healthy food processing job sector is the Genesee County Economic Development Center. The agency has made agri-business one of its top priorities.
GCEDC’s Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in the town of Batavia is home to two yogurt manufacturing plants. Other local food processing companies include O-AT-KA Milk Products and Bonduelle USA Inc.
“We are very pleased to be once again recognized by Business Facilities as a leader in food processing employment and plan to continue expanding our efforts in this critically important economic sector,â€Â Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the GCEDC, said in a news release.
“The growth of the food processing sector in our region reflects the positive economic climate here which has been significantly enhanced through the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, the first agri-business site of its kind in New York State,†Hyde said.
The Ag Park consists of 211 acres off Route 5. Its major tenants are yogurt makers Alpina Foods and Muller Quaker Dairy.
On the Net: http://businessfacilities.com/2015/07/metro-and-global-rankings/
