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Agriculture/Food & Beverage

Washington County’s nationally-recognized agricultural economy provides the solid foundation needed to support continued growth of food and beverage companies.  Dedicated and loyal talent, who possess diverse skill sets cultivated through years of farming, exhibit aptitudes and experiences which are highly attractive and relevant to 21st century manufacturing operations.

Interesting Facts

Key Washington County Employers

CompanyProduct/Service
K-VA-T/Food CityCorporate HQ and Distribution Facilities for Food Retailer
Food Country USACorporate HQ for Food Retailer
Dutt & Wagner Egg Production and Food Product Distribution

Other Regional Employers (Virginia)

CompanyProduct/Services
Shearers FoodsSnack Product Manufacturing
Helms CandyConfectionery Product Manufacturing
GatoradeSports Beverages
PepsiBottling Facility

Comparative Wages for Food Manufacturing

Wages for food manufacturing workers in the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol VA/TN MSA are low to competitive compared with wages in similar markets. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019)

OccupationKingsport-Bristol-Bristol MSACincinnati MSAChicago-Naperville-Elgin MSAPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro MSANew York-Newark-Jersey City MSAMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSAU.S. Average
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$16.19$17.78$16.57$16.97$14.55$17.37$16.15
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$17.51$21.69$20.35$23.75$21.40$22.07$20.67
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$19.09$17.90$19.12$20.43$20.38$22.48$18.24