Louisiana's agriculture, forestry and food processing industries contribute an estimated $13 billion to annual output, or approximately 10 percent of the state economy. The Louisiana agricultural economy is complex and comprised of many commodity segments including animal, fishery and plant commodities, packaged food processing and related businesses. This economy also includes sugarcane mills, fresh and frozen seafood packaging, bakeries, and all other miscellaneous food manufacturing.

The sugar cane industry is confined by the crop's growing conditions and the logistics of transporting sugar cane. Mills that process the sugar cane into raw sugar must be located near cane plantations since cut sugar cane is too bulky and heavy to ship. Mills in this category process cane into crystals of raw sugar that can be transported in bulk, like grain, aboard ships or by land. For the fiscal 2000 harvest, cane sugar production reached a record 9.035 million short tons, thanks to increased output from Louisiana.

There are 1,586 total employees in the food manufacturing industry, with sales totaling $357,339,384.

Incentives

Enterprise Zone

The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a JOBS incentive program that provides Louisiana Income and Franchise tax credits to a business hiring a minimum number of net new employees

Quality Jobs

The Quality Jobs Program promotes economic development by encouraging businesses to create well-paid jobs.

• Requires an Advance Notification form.
• Must be in one of the following industry clusters: Bio-Science, Manufacturing, IT, Environmental Technology, Food Technology, Advanced Materials or Oil & Gas Field Service;
• Or, must have at least 75% of sales out-of-state;
• Or, must have at least 50% of annual sales out-of-state;
• And, must provide a basic health care insurance plan. 

Industrial Tax Exemption Program

The Industrial Tax Exemption Program is Louisiana's original incentive program for capital investments.

• Special circumstances may require an Advance Notification form.
• Applies to capital investments for new or existing Louisiana manufacturers only.

Tax Equalization Program

The Tax Equalization Program attracts, retains and encourages the expansion of manufacturing establishments, headquarters, warehousing and distribution establishments to Louisiana that would not do so in Louisiana due to a higher tax burden.

• Must be a manufacturing establishment, headquarters or warehousing and distribution establishment planning an expansion;
• The competing site in another state must offer comparative advantages to Louisiana.

Competitors/Suppliers

311311 - Sugarcane Mills  

311712 - Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing   

311812 - Commercial Bakeries  

311999 - All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing   

333294 - Food Product Machinery Manufacturing   

311312 - Cane Sugar Refining   

311711 - Seafood Canning   

311811 - Retail Bakeries   

424430 - Dairy Product Merchant Wholesalers  

311340 - Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing  

112512 - Shellfish Farming  

114112 - Shellfish Fishing

311821 - Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing   

311920 - Coffee and Tea Manufacturing  

311942 - Spice and Extract Manufacturing   

325411 - Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing    

424460 - Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers 

424490 - Grocery Products Merchant Wholesalers  

445110 - Supermarkets and Other Grocery Stores  

445210 - Meat Markets

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