AgPlus Food and Beverage Manufacturing Consortium

AgPlus, also called the Central Valley AgPlus Food and Beverage Manufacturing Consortium, was granted an Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) designation by the U.S. Economic Development Administration in July 2015, one of just 24 such regions across the United States.

This designation gives the 28-county Central Valley priority consideration for federal grants and technical assistance from the federal government related to the food and beverage manufacturing supply chain. Designated communities receive support from 11 federal agencies with more than $1 billion available in economic development assistance.

Valley Vision received funding from the Economic Development Administration to coordinate activities for the 28-county area making up California’s Central Valley, with a particular focus on the seven counties in the Sacramento sub-region. Our activities include ongoing communication with federal agency representatives involved in IMCP, mapping of supplier networks in the Valley, development of a regional finance fund for food and agriculture entrepreneurs, and research and modeling related to aligning workforce development strategies in the food and ag economic cluster.

Valley Vision also received funding from USDA Rural Development California to better connect rural food and ag businesses with financing information and other business development resources like technical assistance, and financing and business development opportunities.