Value-Added Agriculture
Located in the heart of some of the most productive agricultural land in the world and with easy access to major markets all over the country, it’s no wonder that some of the leading food producers and manufacturers have operations in Sunflower Electric’s service territory. The region’s ag-friendly culture has a proven track record of supporting agri-business. Contact the Sunflower Electric Economic Development team to learn more about how we can help your value-added agri-business thrive.
Leading Food Firms
Access to Raw Materials
- More than 21 million acres in Kansas are harvested for crops and over 16 million is pastureland for grazing animals. Farmland accounts for more than 88% of all Kansas land.
- In 2016, Kansas exported nearly $3.5 billion in agricultural products. The top five exports include beef, wheat, soybeans, corn, and pet foods.
- Kansas is a recognized leader in agriculture in the United States.
- Ranked #1 in grain sorghum production, growing more than 46% of the nation's crop
- Ranked #2 in sorghum for silage production
- Ranked #2 in wheat production
- Ranked #3 in cattle production and beef processing
- Ranked #4 in sunflower production
- Kansas is quickly becoming the new dairy frontier in the United States. In 2014 Kansas was home to 143,000 dairy cows that produced more than 2.9 billion pounds of milk.
Competitive Labor Costs
Hourly wages for many occupations in demand by ag-related industries are at or below average for the region and the nation.
| Occupation | SW KS | KS | CO | NE | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $27.96 | $26.84 | $29.65 | $26.95 | $27.78 |
| Bakers | $11.47 | $11.00 | $11.90 | $11.34 | $12.06 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $14.31 | $15.65 | $14.62 | $14.40 | $14.36 |
| Food Batchmakers | $13.23 | $15.15 | $11.72 | $12.93 | $13.37 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $14.07 | $14.69 | $13.63 | $14.98 | $13.63 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $14.10 | $13.80 | $11.99 | $13.28 | $11.61 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $14.24 | $14.36 | $16.00 | $16.31 | $15.80 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $16.87 | $20.93 | $18.42 | $17.75 | $17.68 |
Access to Markets
- Within 500 miles of the center of the Sunflower Region, companies are able to reach over 36 million people. This includes the large metro areas of:
- Dallas, TX
- Kansas City, MO
- Denver, CO
- Wichita, KS
- Albuquerque, NM
- Omaha, NE
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Amarillo, TX
