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Butte County Tourism
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Thursday, August 07, 2008 |
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Location
Butte County is located 60 miles north of Sacramento in California's agricultural heartland. Bordered by the Sacramento river on the west and the Sierra Nevada mountains on the east, Butte County is just a short drive from the major metropolitan areas of Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area. Butte County's rural setting offers abundant opportunities to expanding and relocating businesses.
Labor
Butte County's labor availability, which averages 7.5 percent, offers agribusinesses an affordable workforce at every level of production. If availability at your current location has been a concern, consider the experience of Eric Heitman who recently moved Rio Pluma Company, LLC's operation to Butte County. "We didn't even have to advertise," he says. "We posted a flyer on the front door ... and within three days we had 454 applications.
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COMPARATIVE MEDIAN WAGES |
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Butte
County |
San Jose/
Bay Area |
Los
Angeles |
| Receptionist/Info Clerk |
8.97 |
10.78 |
9.63 |
| General Laborers |
7.98 |
8.91 |
8.57 |
| Packaging/Filling Machine |
9.09 |
9.03 |
9.08 |
| First Line Supervisor-Production |
9.33 |
20.94 |
16.52 |
| Shipping Receiving Clerk |
9.85 |
13.10 |
12.53 |
| Machinery/Maintenance Mechanic |
10.66 |
19.10 |
15.84 |
| Forklift Operator |
12.82 |
15.11 |
14.50 |
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Occupational Wage Data: EDD |
Agribusiness Education Training
Customized training programs are available through California State University, Chico; Butte Community College; and the Private Industry Council. CSU, Chico's Agribusiness Institute provides customized training in agriculture and agribusiness management. Both the university and community college offer programs to meet the industry's changing technological and marketing needs. "With the training programs available at the colleges, you can always find a good group of people to pick from locally," says Sierra Nevada Brewing Company President, Ken Grossman.
Transportation
Butte County's location allows products to be trucked to any U.S. West Coast city within a single day. State Highway 99 provides north/south access through the county, while Highway 70 offers additional access south to Sacramento or points east to Reno. Nearby Interstate 80, the nation's east-west artery, and two Union Pacific Railroad lines provide ready access for national distribution. Butte County's proximity to the deep-water ports of Sacramento, Stockton, and Oakland ensure access to international markets within a matter of hours. Daily commuter flights shuttle passengers to large metropolitan areas, while overnight couriers offer immediate worldwide transport of merchandise.
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Real Estate
With a generous supply of zoned land and available buildings, Butte County can quickly accommodate any business. Relocating companies have found Butte County locations for 1/10 the cost of similar properties in the Bay area
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REAL ESTATE LEASE RATES |
| Industrial Lease Rate (per month/square foot) |
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Butte
County |
San Jose/
Bay Area |
Los
Angeles |
| Warehouse |
$.20 - .28 |
$.37 - .40 |
$.50 - .53 |
| Finished Shell |
$.25 - .34 |
$.41 - .45 |
$.54 - .60 |
| R&D Facilities |
$.43 - .60 |
$.80 - 2.00 |
$.75 - 1.33 |
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Applied Economics |
Power
Pacific Gas & Electric Company has traditionally supplied the power to Butte County, but as the utility industry deregulates businesses may opt to purchase power from a competitive supplier. Regardless of the source, our modern infrastructure ensures safe and reliable delivery of power.
Telecommunications
State-of-the-art communication systems provide businesses with high quality voice and data transmissions. Digital switching, fiber optics, ISDN and Centrex systems are available in many Butte County industrial and commercial areas.
Water & Sewer
Butte County offers agribusinesses one of the most abundant and clean water supplies in California. Sewer capacities are more than adequate to meet the needs of new and existing businesses and residents for years to come.
Quality of Life
Butte County offers all the advantages of the heartland combined with metropolitan amenities-affordable housing, low crime rates, short commutes, abundant outdoor recreational opportunities, strong work ethics, a sense of community, a highly acclaimed university, fine arts and cultural programs, state-of-the-art medical services, and easy access to the state's major metropolitan areas. "The area's standard of living helps us maintain a quality work force," says Grant Lundberg, CEO of Lundberg Farms.
Pro-Business Attitude
When it comes to a pro-business attitude, Butte County can't be beat. In addition to a long list of incentive programs, Butte County works with businesses to make things happen. For instance, a streamlined permitting process helped Pacific Coast Producers meet its expansion goals while maintaining annual production levels. "We've basically rebuilt this facility and quadrupled its size," says Plant Manager Dan Sroufe. "They've always been prompt and helpful in meeting our time lines for permits."
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