West Virginia’s Greenbrier Valley has natural assets that extends beyond mountains and rivers. Our counties are home to productive farmland that spreads across more than 464,000 acres. Poultry production is big here, along with beef cattle. West Virginia is also known for producing hay, apples, corn, and soybeans. With those rich agricultural inputs and plenty of clean water, our region is the ideal environment for food and beverage production and packaging. No wonder we’re currently home to companies like Greenbrier Dairy, Swift Level Fine Meats, Aviagen Turkeys, and beverage producers such as Smooth Ambler Bourbon, Greenbrier Valley Brewing, MRV Beverage, and Hawk Knob Cider and Mead.
Heritage of Hard Work
Our region’s labor shed encompasses more than 282,000 people, many of whom grew up around agriculture, timber production, and mining, giving them both easily transferable skills and a generational appreciation for taking pride in a job well done. Like crops, our labor shed is renewable thanks to the efforts of local education providers focused on developing skills in areas such as agricultural mechanics, natural resource management, plant science, baking and pastry, human nutrition, engineering, and more.
Robust Transportation Infrastructure
It’s easy to move inputs and ship finished products, thanks to our region’s transportation network. Interstate 64 connects our region with Interstates 77, 79, and 81 and other U.S. and state highways, as well as Norfolk’s deepwater port and river ports in Charleston and Huntington, speeding shipments of finished products to customers. Rail users benefit from access to both CSX and Norfolk Southern mainlines, with opportunities to add spurs. Greenbrier Valley Airport (KLWB), Charleston Yeager Airport (KCRW), and Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (KROA) offer extensive commercial service and general aviation, and KROA has an onsite cargo facility.
