More than 60 Crops Within Reach

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Grant County food processors know and trust the quality and variety of locally grown crops including potatoes, apples, wheat, barley, carrots, corn, onions, peaches, cherries, mint, beans and so much more. The County’s 1,858 farms annually produce crops and livestock valued at $1.19 billion.

With over 2,100 people working in food processing, many of the crops are processed right here making food processing a $364 million industry that still has plenty of room to grow. Access to Interstate 90 and the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe main line make it easy to transport goods by truck or rail to major metro centers such as Seattle, Portland and Chicago.

Food Processing Assets

Grant County has thousands of acres of industrial zoned land that is ready for development.

acres of farmland are in production in Grant County.
acres irrigated to produce high value commodities like potatoes, carrots, peas, beans, cherries, wine grapes, apples, peaches, pears and mint.
An ethanol production plant in South Dakota.

Logistics

Road

Interstate 90 links Grant County to Seattle on the West and to Chicago and Boston on the east. U.S. Highway 2 is the other major east/west transportation route and State Highway 17 is the main north/south transportation route.

Rail

Both Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and the Columbia Basin Railroad (CBRC) provide rail to Grant County.

Trucking

Grant County is serviced by 5 common carriers. 4 of the carriers have local terminals and 1 carrier offers inter-modal services.

Local Food Processing Companies

Logistics & Warehousing

  • Americold - Cold Storage
  • Lineage Logistics - Cold Storage
  • International Paper - Corrugated Shipping Containers

Logistics & Warehousing

  • Blue Sky Management – Onion Packing
  • Double Diamond Fruit – Apple Packing
  • Jones Produce – Apples and Wine
  • Skone & Conners Produce – Potato and Onion Packing

Food Processors

  • Amway/Nutrilite – Botanical Concentrates
  • AstaReal – Nutraceuticals
  • Basic American Foods – Dehydrated Potatoes
  • Central Bean – Dry Beans
  • J.R. Simplot – Frozen Potatoes
  • Lamb Weston – Frozen Potatoes
  • National Frozen Foods - Frozen Vegetables
  • Norwest Ingredients – Mint Oil
  • Pacific Coast Canola – Canola Oil
  • Quincy Foods – Frozen Vegetables
  • Royal Ridge Fruit – Cherries
  • Washington Potato – Frozen Potatoes
  • Western Polymer – Potato Starch
  • Wahluke Wine Company – Custom Winemaking and Bottling

Workforce Training

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Big Bend Community College meets the needs of Grant County’s robust food processing and agriculture sector by offering multiple degrees, licenses, and certifications that are critical for the industry’s success.

Food Processing Incentives

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  • Food manufacturing companies receive a $2,000 credit against the State Business & Occupation Tax for new qualified employment position with annual wages and benefits of $40,000 or less; or a $4,000 credit for each new employment position with wages and benefits of more than $40,000.
  • Food manufacturing businesses qualify for an exemption of the State Business & Occupation Tax if they manufacture fresh fruits and vegetables by canning, preserving, freezing, processing, or dehydrating fresh fruits or vegetables; or sell at wholesale fruits or vegetables manufactured by the seller when sold to purchasers who transport the goods out of this state.
  • Dairy and seafood product manufacturers also qualify for an exemption of the State Business & Occupation Tax if they manufacture dairy or seafood products; or sell dairy or seafood products to purchasers who transport the goods out of this state.
  • Food manufacturers receive an exemption of the 7.9% sales and use tax when purchasing qualifying machinery and equipment used directly in the manufacturing operation or research and development performed by the manufacturer, or testing operations performed for the manufacturer.