BEST FIG Intent on Sonoma County Food Industry Growth

Sonoma County BEST hosted the second Food Industry Group (FIG) event on April 24th, held on-site at Traditional Medicinals. The FIG was formed to leverage the strengths, knowledge, and resources of executive leaders within the food cluster to discover and fix industry-wide issues.

The first meeting held in February discovered 18 issues, among which include talent attraction, supply chain support, selling outside the region, food safety and regulatory compliance, and waste and water. Of these, talent attraction was placed as a top priority, driving the most recent meeting discussion to focus on recruitment, training, and retention. The FIG will begin working with Santa Rosa Junior College to develop customized training programs and will develop a marketing and recruiting plan for the industry.

According to recent research done by Dr. Rob Eyler of Sonoma State University, the total economic impact of food manufacturing industries in the North Bay is over $4 billion in annual business revenue. Together, the Sonoma County BEST Food Industry Group leverages the knowledge and resources of over 30 industry leaders to positively impact the food cluster and drive business growth in Sonoma County.

For more about the FIG, stop by their booth at Showcase Sonoma County.