Flagler Chamber Seeks Input from Manufacturing & Agricultural Businesses

June 11, 2012 - PRLog -- Starting this month, the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce will conduct a survey to learn more about local manufacturing and agricultural businesses.

According to Chamber President Doug Baxter, the survey will be an opportunity for local agricultural and manufacturing businesses to share information about their operations, discuss barriers to business growth and articulate their resource needs. The survey results will provide more insight into how many and what kind of items are produced in Flagler County, and help local officials identify more effective strategies to support and expand these important industries.

“Agriculture and manufacturing are fundamental contributors to Flagler’s economy, and for these industries to grow, we need to survey the key players,” said Baxter. “The first step in better serving these businesses is to ask who they are, what they make or grow, what issues they have and what they would call their competitive strengths. We’ve designed the survey to gather this and other important data that will help our economic development efforts going forward.”

As part of the survey, participants will be asked a number of questions about their businesses, including the products they manufacture, raise or grow; the materials they purchase in large quantities; the industries they supply finished products to and the most important issues that affect their business. Personal information shared in the survey will be held confidential.

Barbara Revels, chair of both the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners and the county’s Economic Opportunity Advisory Council is behind the survey and looks forward to the results.

"To truly drive local economic growth, it’s important that we have a better understanding of and appreciation for the industries that already exist in Flagler County,” said Revels. “This survey will help identify new ways to support our manufacturing and agricultural communities, while giving us useful data that will improve how we target, attract and bring new industries to the area.”

The Chamber estimates interviewing between 100 and 200 manufacturing and agricultural businesses between now and the end of July. Volunteers provided by the Center for Business Excellence will make a majority of the calls.  A summary of survey findings will be made available to the Flagler County Economic Opportunity Alliance Council and other local organizations.

If you would like to participate in the survey, please call Doug Baxter at 386.437.0106.