| “For
our agritechnology company, there are a number of benefits to doing
business in the Metro Orlando region — a host of similar
businesses are clustered here; there is strong R&D taking place;
nearby universities offer valuable support; and the climate and
location are key. I would encourage any company to look closely
at Metro Orlando when selecting a future location.” |
|
—Mike
Rinch, owner, Agri Starts III, Inc.
|
Metro Orlando
is emerging as a prime location for the rapidly developing field of
agritechnology, a segment of biotechnology that focuses on genetic
engineering, cloning and high tech horticulture and agriculture. Key
projects led by agritech companies based in the area include:
- Cloning
hard-to-grow plants
- Extracting
plant oils for medicinal and botanical purposes
- Developing
alternative irrigation processes to conserve precious water and protect
the environment
- Extracting
liquid from vegetables for use in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals,
food colors, flavors, and cosmetics
The region’s
strong agricultural base is converging with a growing high-tech industry,
forming an innovation intersection that provides
a range of benefits to agritech businesses, such as:
- Favorable
climate conditions
- Extra
crop growing season
- Native
plants
- Rich
soil
- Available
land
|
- Business
incentives
- Research
facilities
- High
tech industry cluster
- Diverse,
skilled workforce
|
In
turn, some of the world’s leading agritech companies
are headquartered in Lake County, located northwest of Orlando. With
long-standing roots in the agricultural industry, Lake County is now
evolving to become a hub for the state’s agritech sector. Local
agritech companies are collaborating with state and federal agencies
and educational institutions on various research and development projects
aimed at leveraging this emerging science to increase energy efficiency
in growing operations and protecting the environment.
In Florida,
the agricultural and natural resources industries, which comprise agritech-related
sectors,
generate $35 billion in net sales
and employ more than 336,000 people. Metro Orlando is the state’s
largest region for this industry and is committed to helping build the
agritech sector locally.
|
For
a printable version of the information and articles related to this
industry sector, click below. |
|
Agritechnology
Brief |
 |
"Agritechnology
- A Growing Industry" Brochure |
|
"Growing
Technology—Agrotech is Thriving in Florida, Metro Orlando"
- Article from Texture magazine, Vol 2
Issue 1 2005 |
|
