INDUSTRIES
AgTech
3.36x
the US national average concentration
of soil and plant scientists
$2.25 billion
total agriculture value produced
10.6%
job growth
Sources: Emsi Industry Characteristics 2020, Emsi Occupation Characteristics 2020, California Department of Agriculture 2018-2019 County Reports
Greater Sacramento is where innovators are revolutionizing agriculture technology. The region combines agricultural abundance from farmers to processors, highly skilled science and tech talent and the #1 agricultural sciences university in the nation–UC Davis.
A strong supply chain foundation
From discovery to distribution, agtech solutions are built in Greater Sacramento and used worldwide. Expertise across the supply chain is housed in communities around the region.
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Education and scientific innovationTop food, ag and plant science talent from UC Davis and agtech resources, from incubators to dedicated research spaces, are fueling growth and innovation. |
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Farming and cultivationThe region’s 1.5 million acres of farmland produce $2 billion in agricultural value. Top crops include wine grapes, walnuts, almonds and rice. |
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Food processingThe region is home to 200+ food processing businesses including industry leaders like Pacific Coast Producers and Nippon Shokken. |
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Packaging and distributionMajor north-south and east-west freeways and the deep-water Port of West Sacramento make distribution seamless. |
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Education and scientific innovationTop food, ag and plant science talent from UC Davis and agtech resources, from incubators to dedicated research spaces, are fueling growth and innovation. |
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Farming and cultivationThe region’s 1.5 million acres of farmland produce $2 billion in agricultural value. Top crops include wine grapes, walnuts, almonds and rice. |
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Food processingThe region is home to 200+ food processing businesses including industry leaders like Pacific Coast Producers and Nippon Shokken. |
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Packaging and distributionMajor north-south and east-west freeways and the deep-water Port of West Sacramento make distribution seamless. |
World class agtech talent
#1
university in the nation for agricultural studies
$140 million
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences research funding
2,300 acres
devoted to agricultural research and teaching
UC Davis
UC Davis is among the most published and cited U.S. research universities in agricultural, environmental, food and soil sciences. The university offers the only food science PhD program in California and is home to the world’s largest and most productive academic research program in the study of grapes and wine.
#1
university in the nation for agricultural studies
$162.5 million
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences research funding
2,300 acres
devoted to agricultural research and teaching
UC Davis
UC Davis is among the most published and cited U.S. research universities in agricultural, environmental, food and soil sciences. The university offers the only food science PhD program in California and is home to the world’s largest and most productive academic research program in the study of grapes and wine.
Key agtech assets and resources
Bayer CoLaborator
Located at the global headquarters of Bayer Crop Science’s Biologics group in West Sacramento, the CoLaborator is a 3,000-sq.-ft. shared lab space for biotech startups. The laboratories include basic equipment for agriculture tech startups to quickly begin putting their ideas to the test with basic services and permits provided by Bayer.
AgStart
California’s longest-established agtech incubator, AgStart helps food and agriculture startups transition from concept to commercialization through mentorship, education and business resources. AgStart also features a co-working incubator space.
Seed Central
Seed Central is a public-private partnership energizing the seed and ag biotech cluster surrounding UC Davis. Seed Central facilitates communication and research between UC Davis and the seed and ag biotech industry (including some 100 seed-related companies surrounding the university) to bring science to market faster.
Woodland Research and Technology Park
This proposed hub for agricultural innovation will be a work/live campus with over 2 million sq. ft. of research park office and lab space, 1,600 single and multi-family homes, parks and open space.
AgTech success stories
Bayer Crop Science
Agricultural biotechnology
The global headquarters for Bayer’s Crop Science Biologics group focuses on biological pest management, is home to the Bayer Vegetable Seeds department and features the CoLaborator space that houses innovative startups.
Tomra Sorting Solutions
Farm robotics, mechanization and equipment
The Norwegian-owned, leading provider of sensor-based sorting and peeling equipment manufactures, tests and demonstrates products in their West Sacramento headquarters facility.
Marrone Bio Innovations
Agricultural biotechnology
Creating bio-based solutions for pest control, plant health and increased crop yields through biopesticides, the company was started and successfully went public in its Davis headquarters.
Other top agtech businesses in Greater Sacramento include:
Top agtech employers in Greater Sacramento
| wdt_ID | Company | Location type | Employee count | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayer CropScience | Branch | 275 | Research and development |
| 2 | HM Clause Inc. | Branch | 190 | Seed breeding |
| 3 | Marrone Bio Innovations | Headquarters | 65 | Biotechnology |
| 4 | Arcadia Biosciences Inc. | Headquarters | 45 | Biotechnology |
| 5 | Syngenta | Branch | 41 | Research and development |
Source: Sacramento Business Journal Book of Lists 2020, Pitchbook 2019