FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE OF RELEASE: Jan. 8, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: Spencer Critchley
CONTACT TITLE: Acting PIO
CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER: (831) 998-3000
CONTACT EMAIL: spencer.critchley@ci.salinas.ca.us
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Western City Magazine Highlights Salinas' AgTech Economic Development Strategy
Salinas, CA -- "Just as it has transformed much of the world, technology will soon radically transform agriculture, one of the world's oldest industries, and increase efficiency and boost food production."
So begins an article in the latest issue of Western City magazine, highlighting the agtech-focused economic development strategy of the City of Salinas. The article can be found at http://www.westerncity.com/Western-City/January-2016/Salinas-Fosters-Ag-Tech-Innovation.
The City's strategy recently won the Helen Putnam Award of the California League of Cities, which recognizes "outstanding achievement" among the state's 482 cities (http://www.helenputnam.org).
The Western City article describes the partnership Salinas has developed among business, education and government to build on its traditional strengths in agriculture while leveraging emerging trends in technology.
To that end, the City and its partners are assembling the elements needed for an agtech ecosystem that will support sustainable growth and job creation. Among those elements are academic research, curriculum development, workforce development, business incubation and access to capital.
Results so far include:
- The development of two agtech incubators: the Thrive Accelerator and the Western Growers Innovation Center, located in the new Taylor Farms Building, which comes with an initial $4 million investment from the Western Growers Association.
- The Steinbeck Innovation Cluster and Foundation. "This prompted $1 million in initial pledges by local companies to support Steinbeck Innovation Cluster programs," as the article notes.
- Educational partnerships with Hartnell college and CSUMB, which is establishing a location at the National Steinbeck Center.
- Last summer's Forbes Reinventing America: The AgTech Summit: "This event brought together several hundred of the brightest minds in Silicon Valley and global agriculture to tackle some of the world's most critical challenges," according to the article.
The article concludes by quoting Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter: "We will continue to build on that success here in the Salinas Valley - the emerging agtech capital of the nation."
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