1. Food Innovation Districts: An Economic Development Strategy
Traditional economic growth strategies have evolved from the dynamics of the industrial
revolution as it unfolded in the mid-1800s. The manufacturing of goods created jobs and
security for many generations of American workers and their families and typically those jobs
provided better compensation and benefits than service sector employment. Often industrial
development occurred organically with like industries locating near each other out of energy,
transportation, supply or workforce needs. After WWII the creation of the interstate highway
system and improvements in intermodal transportation allowed traditional manufacturing to
become more dispersed, including the “offshoring” that has occurred during the last 20 years.
More recent economic growth in the U.S. has occurred around significant clusters such as
computers (Silicon Valley), health sciences (Philadelphia), or banking and finance (Wilmington).
Clusters are defined by the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at The Harvard Business
School as “geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers,
service providers, and associated institutions in a particular field that are present in a …region.”
Typically “Cluster Development” is best leveraged when it is founded upon existing assets, and
when governments, companies and other institutions co-operate in the development and
upgrading of those assets.
Kent County currently has 87 manufacturing facilities of which 15 are “food manufacturers” and
17 are “metal fabricators”. Those represent meaningful clusters which are supportive of the
further development of food related enterprises. Beyond that Kent County has 167,000 acres of
“land in farms” with over 60,000 acres permanently preserved through the purchase of
Preservation Easements representing a total public investment in excess of $250 million dollars
when landowner discounts are factored in. Given the extraordinary investment of “public
treasure” in preserving agricultural land in Kent County it would be irresponsible for economic
development officials to overlook the promotion of agricultural business as a primary
development strategy.
Kent County
EASEMENTS FARMS ACRES COST
SETTLEMENTS FINAL 383 59,568 $89,579,817
PENDING APPS. 44 2782 $16,818,738
TOTAL 427 62,350 $106,398,555
EST. DISCOUNTS $124,729,578
PENDING
DISCOUNTS
$24,218,983
TOTAL DISCOUNTS $148,948,561

2. TOTAL PUBLIC INV. $255,347,116
The 2007 “Kent County Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 9” states: “Agricultural preservation is not
simply an issue of preserving open spaces or the rural character of Kent County; rather it is an
issue of protecting a major economic force in both the County and the State. According to the
Delaware Department of Agriculture, the agricultural industry in Delaware provides more jobs
and impacts the State’s economy more than any other sector.” The policy emphasis of that
2007 Plan further recommends: “1) Promoting the retention of farms and farmland within Kent
County; 2) Seeking to strengthen the agricultural sector of Kent County; 3) Developing
regulations that will direct development to areas where infrastructure exists or is planned in
order to encourage agriculture and maintain the current quality of life for residents of the
County; and 4) Seeking to promote and develop less mainstreamagricultural uses such as:
horse farms, orchards, organic farming, wineries, sod farms and aquaculture.”
In 2007, Kent County had 173,808 Acres in agricultural production that generated a market
value of products sold of $188,390,000. The Estimated USDA Census of Agriculture for 2012
shows a loss of over 6,800 Acres of agricultural land, but an increase in market value of product
sold by $23,610,000.
Kent County2012 CensusofAgriculture (Estimated) *
Numberof Farms 800
Land inFarms 167,000
Acres permanentlypreserved 59,568 -35%
Acres in 10-year preservationprogram 28,730 -17%
Total 88,298 -53%
Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold $212,000,000
Cattle 8,100
Broilers(poultry) Produced 29,700,000
VegetablesPlanted 16,600 Acres
Corn 52,300 Acres
Soybeans 57,300 Acres
Wheat 33,300 Acres
Barley 22,200 Acres
Potatoes 1,600 Acres
* The USDA's CensusofAgriculture isconducted in 5 year intervals.The results of the 2012 Censusof Agriculture
are scheduledto be releasedinearly 2014. The numbersabove were extrapolatedby calculating the percentage
of change from 2007-2012 at the Delaware state-level andthenapplyingthose ratios to the 2007 Kent County

3. Censusof Ag. Numbers.
While the increase in Market Value of Agricultural products sold over the past 5 years is
encouraging, the corresponding loss of agricultural acreage at the rate of over 1,300 acres per
year is a strategic threat that needs to be addressed.
Our Economic Development mission for Kent County is to engage the people of Delaware, the
Mid-Atlantic Region and the world in applied research, education and outreach to develop
regionally integrated, sustainable food systems. Our next steps should include encouraging our
local and State governments to develop policies that support food access and production,
encourage food related production facilities and businesses, include food-related topics in
official plans, and collaborate with other stakeholders on food systemactivities. Concurrently
we can begin by inventorying existing food related assets, identifying food hubs, and creating
specific planning boundaries that would allow incentive financing within these Food Innovation
District (FID) boundaries.
In doing this we will create a thriving economy and a sense of place and sustainability through
food systems rooted in our region and centered on food that is healthy, green, fair and
affordable.