By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Expansion at Boehringer Ingelheim in St. Joseph strengthens the Animal Health Corridor, dedicated to innovation in livestock and pet health.
The corridor runs from Columbia, Missouri to Manhattan, Kansas with 300 animal health companies employing more than 20,000 people in 22 counties.
Animal Health Corridor President, Kimberly Young, says the corridor promotes the interests of those companies.
“How can we bring the global industry together, both farm and nutrition companies, and work in areas where working together and speaking with one voice the industry is stronger,” Young tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Young says Boehringer’s announcement that it is building a cutting-edge research and development lab on its St. Joseph campus is a welcomed addition.
“We’re thrilled that BI continues to expand and grow in the Animal Health Corridor and in St. Joseph,” Young says.
Young says the corridor is built on the strength of the region – it’s ties to agriculture.
“The whole reason why the corridor is here is because we’re an ag-based economy,” Young says, adding that the ties to agriculture stretch back to the foundation of the stockyards in St. Joseph and elsewhere throughout the Midwest.
Recruitment of qualified workers is one of the objectives of the Animal Health Corridor.
“They’re here and we have the talent pool here and that is what the continued global attraction is for other companies,” according to Young. “They want to come to an area that has an eco-system in animal health with an organization like the Animal Health Corridor that is exclusively focused and intentionally focused on supporting and growing the industry.”
Young says the corridor focuses on workforce development, innovation, and public policy.
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