AGRIBUSINESS + AGTECH

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Nurture the growth of your agricultural business in Memphis, where the fertile soil of our rich natural resources meets a world-class transportation network. Embrace the deep roots of innovation that define our city, providing a fertile ground for your venture to thrive.

Agribusiness + AgTech in Memphis

Explore the thriving landscape of Memphis's agribusiness sector, where traditional practices seamlessly merge with cutting-edge AgTech innovations. Gain a comprehensive snapshot of the dynamic synergy driving agricultural success in our city.

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Agribusiness and AgTech

BY THE NUMBERS

100

Gallons of the Purest Water From the Memphis Sand Aquifer

52

Varieties of Crops and 19 Million Acres of Productive Growing Space Within 150 Miles

150

Radius of Every Major Crop Grown in the U.S.

Tap into Memphis's Rich Resources

Agriculture dominates the economy for 100-miles in every direction, and your agricultural business could be at the center of it all in Memphis. With some of the country’s richest soils and one of the purest and most plentiful water supplies in the world, Memphis is the unofficial capital of the 13-million-acre Mississippi Delta.

Memphis is a hotbed for innovative companies driving the future of food. Our diverse and trained talent are fueling farm-to-table food delivery trends and improving farming efficiencies while enhancing yields. Plus, our sustainable surface and groundwater, unmatched logistics and access to abundant farm land with experienced growers have made Memphis ground zero for a new era of agriculture. 

Industry Presence

Industry Description2017 Jobs2022 Jobs2027 JobsJob Growth 2017 to 2022 (%) Projected Job Growth 2022 to 2027 (%)2022 Location Quotient
Crop Production 1,6261,5581,547-4.2%-0.7%.63
Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers9291,0601,08014.1%1.9%2.16
Specialized Frieght (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance1,229887723-27.8%-18.5%1.60
Paper (expect Newsprint) Mills3,072681486-77.8%-28.7%3.37
Soybean and Other Oilseed Processing539518510-3.9%-1.5%13.47
Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Local4575024849.9%-3.6%.54
Rice Milling34349361543.6%24.7%22.71
Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)21740952188.9%27.3%.20
Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers420367339-12.6%-7.7%.81
Meat Processed from Carcasses152360486136.7%35.1%.60
Top 10 Agribusiness & AgTech8,5656,8366,79116.7%2.8%.60
Greater MSA Total12,0889,7469,87126.4%8.3%
Industry Description2017 Jobs2022 Jobs2027 JobsJob Growth 2017 to 2022 (%) Projected Job Growth 2022 to 2027 (%)2022 Location Quotient


Shown in the table above, industries with the largest regional presence are highlighted. Measured by industry employment, the top 10 Agribusiness & AgTech industries displayed account for over 70% of total transportation employment within the region. Pairing the strong critical mass of industry-specific skills with robust historical and projected growth, and our region’s strong infrastructure connectivity fuel our region’s specialization in the ability to get products to market.

Note: Above industries reflect 6-digit NAICS industries within the Memphis TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Area. Employment estimates derived from Lightcast, Q1 2023

Location Quotient: Measured against the Nation, location quotients (LQ) are a useful way of quantifying how concentrated a particular industry, cluster, or occupation is in a region as compared to a larger geographic area. An LQ of 1 is equally concentrated within both areas. An LQ of 1.5 indicates that the smaller geographic region is 50% more concentrated regionally, and an LQ of 2 indicates the geographic region is twice as concentrated regionally. An LQ of 0.5 indicates the smaller geographic region is 50% less concentrated against the larger geographic area.

Workforce Presence

Occupation Description2017 Jobs2022 Jobs2027 Projected JobsJob Growth 2017 to 2022 (%)Projected Job Growth 2022 to 2027 (%)2022 Location Quotient
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers15,64315,48416,216-1.0%4.7%1.82
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nirsey, and Greenhouse998865890-13.3%2..8.33
Laborers and Frieght, Stock, and Materials Movers, Hand35,60931,02433,239-12.9%7.1%2.54
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers3754064108.1%1.2%.49
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders54764548217.8%-25.3%1.70
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals337319317-5.2%-.7%.51
Stockers and Order Fillers13,59416,46417.39721.1%5.7%1.54
Packers and Packages, Hand5,4567,4057,77935.7%5.1%2.81
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operations4,9857,2348,27445.1%14.4%2.09
General and Operations Managers9,41612,15712,85929.1%5.8%.89
Top 10 Occupations: Agribusiness & AgTech86,96192,00397,86312.5%2.1%
Occupation Description2017 Jobs2022 Jobs2027 Projected JobsJob Growth 2017 to 2022 (%)Projected Job Growth 2022 to 2027 (%)2022 Location Quotient


Note: Above occupations reflect Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC codes) within the Memphis TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Area. Estimates derived from Lightcast, Q1 2023 dataset QCEW Employment.

Location Quotient: Measured against the Nation, location quotients (LQ) are a useful way of quantifying how concentrated a particular industry, cluster, or occupation is in a region as compared to a larger geographic area. An LQ of 1 is equally concentrated within both areas. An LQ of 1.5 indicates that the smaller geographic region is 50% more concentrated regionally, and an LQ of 2 indicates the geographic region is twice as concentrated regionally. An LQ of 0.5 indicates the smaller geographic region is 50% less concentrated against the larger geographic area.

Successful Memphis Brands

Meet the brands who are making big strides in their business and taking advantage of Memphis's innovation, talent and strategic location.

Success Stories

Success Stories

Why Industries Thrive Here

Between Tennessee's business-friendly environment and Memphis's strategic location, exceptional talent and history of innovation, doing business here is a brilliant move.

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