For Immediate Release
July 15, 2026
Select Greater Omaha and Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development Launch AgWorks Corridor
Omaha, NE – Together, Select Greater Omaha (Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership) and the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development (LPED) are excited to announce the formation of the AgWorks Corridor to better position the region as a leader in value-added agriculture across the Midwest.
Spanning 11 counties across Nebraska and Iowa in the Lincoln-Omaha region, AgWorks Corridor was created to align regional strengths to advance shared priorities and opportunities throughout the area. With Omaha and Lincoln serving as hubs for processing, agricultural inputs, equipment manufacturing and innovation, this joint initiative and regional effort led by Select Greater Omaha and LPED will support companies from the start-up stage through full-scale commercialization, capitalizing on the advantages throughout the corridor.
“Agriculture has always been one of our region’s greatest competitive advantages, and the AgWorks Corridor builds on that foundation in a new way,” says Heath Mello, President & CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. “This partnership brings together the assets of Greater Omaha and Greater Lincoln to create one of the Midwest’s most compelling destinations for value-added agriculture. By working as a region, we are strengthening our ability to attract investment, support innovation, and help companies scale faster with access to exceptional talent, research, manufacturing capabilities and global markets.”
Agricultural equipment manufacturing, food processing, animal health, ag-tech and industrial bio-processing are industries positioned to continue their robust development in a fully integrated environment built for scale, speed and continued growth within the AgWorks Corridor.
“The I-80 Corridor between Lincoln and Omaha represents Nebraska’s greatest engine for economic opportunity,” says Jason Ball, President and CEO of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development. “The collective population, workforce, education, research and existing business and industry base of this region offers a compelling investment opportunity for any number of businesses.”
“The agriculture sector specifically holds immense opportunity for the entire region to build on the existing economic strengths of the state. We appreciate the leadership and partnership of all our collaborators in the region on the launch of this exciting initiative,” Ball adds.
“Phibro Animal Health is honored to be a supporter of the AgWorks Corridor. With two manufacturing facilities established in the region and our national logistics hub now centralized within the Corridor, we’ve found it to be an exceptional environment for attracting dedicated team members who embody a strong work ethic and unwavering integrity,” indicates Larry Miller, Chief Operating Officer of Phibro Animal Health Corporation, located in Omaha.
“This vibrant setting in the AgWorks Corridor, in the very heart of American agriculture, continues to foster innovation and excellent, making it an ideal location for our operations and for connecting with talented professionals in the industry,” Miller adds.
As agriculture drives 1-in-4 jobs across the region, the depth of area workforce gives companies access to a more connected, resilient and scalable operating environment to expand their operations and continue on the path of sustainable success.
In total, more than 700 companies and 37,000 employees within the sectors support a dense, specialized business ecosystem that is 66 percent more concentrated than the national average—driving collaboration, accelerating growth and strengthening long-term competitiveness.
The AgWorks Corridor is also positioned to utilize and leverage connections to education and research excellence. Within the corridor, local universities, community college and industry-aligned programs deliver a strong pipeline of talent, research and innovation, helping companies access skilled workers, technical expertise and commercialization resources needed for long-term growth.
“After senior leadership visited Nebraska and saw firsthand the local academic institutions and industry resources available for collaboration, the associated talent at hand for recruitment, the proximity to our regulatory agencies and the ability to stretch our investment dollar further, the decision to plant our business here became quite simple,” explains Josh Johnson, Director of Biologics Operations at Huvepharma, located in Lincoln.
“Our Cargill Blair campus is truly a biotechnology oasis that attracts companies, who want to join other leading-edge companies looking for a skilled workforce and other resources to grow their businesses quickly, safely and effectively,” notes Christy Venne, Facility Manager at Cargill Blair.
The AgWorks Corridor website, found at https://www.agworkscorridor.com/, provides a hub to highlight the numerous advantages of the corridor.
For more information on the AgWorks Corridor, contact Lauren Obermier, Director of Business Development for LPED, at (402) 436.2379 and at lobermier@selectlincoln.org.
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About the Greater Omaha Chamber
The Greater Omaha Chamber is one of the country’s largest, strongest chambers with nearly 3,000 members and a 5-star accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to champion a thriving business community and a prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration.