Kern County Economic Development

County of Kern Economic Development Strategy, Implementation Progress Report and Board Letter

On April 5, 2005, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County of Kern Economic Development Strategy, Final Report. This update replaces the County’s 1999 strategy. An executive summary, The Path to Sustainable Prosperity: Kern County’s Economic Development Strategy, is also available.

Implementation of the updated strategy has begun in earnest.

Two major steps taken by the County as part of its 1999 strategy, and which are ongoing, include:

1. Kern Economic Development Partners; and

2. Economic Incentive Program to encourage new businesses to locate in Kern County and to encourage those businesses already located here to expand and provide employment opportunities consistent with County goals.

Welcome to Kern County, California's Golden Empire. Kern County lies at the southern end of California's San Joaquin Valley. County boundaries embrace over 8,000 square miles of fertile farmland, scenic mountains, and pristine desert environments. Kern County is larger than Delaware, Rhode Island, and Connecticut combined. There are more than 744,000 residents who live and work in 11 incorporated cities and numerous unincorporated communities. Kern County is a world class producer of food and fiber, with farm products distributed worldwide and a crop value the fourth highest among the nation's counties. Kern is the largest producer of petroleum of any county in the lower 48 states. Our world-class military research and testing centers, Edwards Air Force Base/Air Force Flight Test Center, and China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center are essential to America's national defense. The NASA-Dryden Flight Research Center has been key to the country's leadership in space exploration, and East Kern (Mojave) Airport District is America's first inland space port, the site of the world's first private-sector suborbital space flight. In addition to these primary industries Kern County offers a wide range of recreation and tourism options and is pursuing an economic development strategic plan to further diversify its economy.

If you're thinking of locating or growing your business in Kern County, you've come to the right place. The Kern County Board of Supervisors strives to keep Kern's business climate friendly, open, and well managed. The County and its public/private partners work very hard to facilitate business retention, expansion, and attraction, focusing on seven target industry sectors.

I invite you to contact any of our economic development partner agencies today. They will provide the information you need to decide if Kern County is right for your business.