Harvey County Economic Development
Harvey County Economic Development
Contact: Beth Shelton
500 N Main, Ste. 109
Newton, KS 67114
Phone: 316-283-6033
www.harveycoedc.org
Welcome to Harvey County!
Named in honor of Kansas Governor James M. Harvey, Harvey County began as a railroad hub for the Texas cattle trade along the famous Chisholm Trail. Today, the railroad continues to thrive as a vital place of commerce and trade and is among the county’s largest employers.
Harvey County is located approximately ten miles north of the City of Wichita and encompasses 540 square miles with a total of seven communities within its borders.
The county and its communities offer an ideal family environment with affordable, quiet neighborhoods. A superior education system, abundant amenities, and top-notch healthcare ensure the residents enjoy a high quality of life. Nothing can beat the small community lifestyle with easy access to all the larger city to the south can offer when the need arises. Harvey County and the communities within take pride in their past while planning for a progressive future to ensure its residents can comfortably support their households now and into the coming years.
Harvey County Core Industries
Agribusiness & Agricultural Manufacturing
Harvey County has a long history and strong base of farming and agricultural operations. According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, the total market value of the County’s agricultural products sold in 2012 was $162 million. Harvey ranks among the top 10 counties in Kansas in terms of the value of agricultural sales for several commodity groups, including cotton, vegetables, poultry, and horses.
Industrial Products Manufacturing
Manufacturing industries already form the core of Harvey County’s economy, as the overall sector represents 24 percent of the existing employment base.
Many of the largest manufacturing operations already located in Harvey County fall under this target, including Full Vision, Bunting Magnetics, Excel Industries, Industrial Metal Fabrication, Legg Company, Martin Machine & Welding, and Southwest & Associates.
Although these businesses fall under a variety of categories, the common thread among all of them is a need for highly trained managers and skilled production workers. The region’s colleges and trade schools have excellent training programs for these industries, making labor a strong asset. The presence of developable industrial sites with available infrastructure is also a key asset for this target group.
Aviation & Avionics
Harvey County has a great deal of potential related to the Aviation & Avionics industry. The chief asset is Newton City/County Airport, which has three key advantages over many other general aviation airports:
- A 7,000‐foot runway: Newton City-County Airport’s primary runway is over 7,000 feet long with an ILS and GPS approach. Enjoy big airport services including radar coverage right down to the ramp without the hassles of a control tower.
- Hundreds of acres of developable land: While the airport’s industrial park is ideal for aviation-related businesses, non-aviation businesses also find it an attractive option to expand or headquarter their business.
- An established reliever airport to Wichita by the FAA: The Newton City/County Airport primarily serves Harvey County as a transport facility, but has been designated by the FAA as a general aviation reliever airport for Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport.
Food & Beverage Processing
The key inputs for food and beverage processing are three of the leading commodity groups in the region: wheat, vegetables, and turkeys. In addition, the proximity to major grain harvesting and milling operations makes Harvey County a potential location for specialty and craft breweries and distilleries. These business types are both poised for major national growth over the next decade.
Transportation & Logistics
The economic development history of Harvey County is tied to transportation, particularly along its railroad lines.
- Rail Transportation – Rail transportation remains an important component of the County’s economy—the BNSF and Union Pacific and a local short line traverse the County and several local businesses are geared toward supporting these lines. BNSF Certified Sites are a part of the Premier Parks, Sites and Transload program which is a strategic approach to addressing the increasing demand for customer site locations by developing various types of facilities across the BNSF network. BNSF Certified Sites have been reviewed by an industry expert in order to ensure accurate reliable data. Selecting a certified site can reduce development time, increase speed to market, and reduce upfront development risk of rail-served industrial sites.
- Interstate Highways – Harvey County is served by I-35, which connects primary East-West (I-70) and North-South (I-35) corridors. The establishment of the Kansas Logistics Park in Newtown was undertaken specifically to capitalize on its central location and access to I‐35. Learn more about the Kansas Logistics Park here.
- Interstate Highways – Harvey County is served by I-35, which connects primary East-West (I-70) and North-South (I-35) corridors. The establishment of the Kansas Logistics Park in Newtown was undertaken specifically to capitalize on its central location and access to I‐35. Learn more about the Kansas Logistics Park here.
