Harvey County Economic Development

Growth is a team sport.

Today we joined our regional economic development partners at the Wind Surge game to exchange ideas, discuss emerging opportunities, and collaborate on the issues impacting communities across south-central Kansas.

We're fortunate to be part of a region that believes we're stronger when we work together. And we got to root for the home team while we were at it.

Register Now: Learn About USDA Programs for Business. Friday, Jun 26.

Many businesses aren’t sure of the resources available to support growth, investment and innovation.

Join us on June 26 as USDA Kansas State Director Gimmie Jo Jansonius shares programs and opportunities available to businesses, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and communities across Kansas.

Whether you're looking to expand, invest, or simply learn what's available, this is a great opportunity to hear directly from USDA leadership and ask questions.

>Prairy Mezzanine, Newton
>10–11:30a

RSVP by June 22 to Jennifer Mueller >> [email protected]

Welcome to Jorge Batista, Harvey County Economic Development’s summer intern.

Jorge is a junior at Bethel and helped their Tennis team do something that hasn’t been done in nearly 30 years; winning the regular season conference title AND the conference tournament.

Coming to Newton by way of Maracay, Venezuela, Jorge feels a real connection with the community already, enjoying the small town feel and how everyone seems to know each other.

Jorge will be working with the HDEDC team on admin support, marketing and learning more about business retention.

The latter is something Jorge truly hopes to get a better understanding of this summer. He’s excited to see, from an insider perspective, how organizations and industry connect, communicate and build relationships to enhance economic growth in communities.

When asked if he could spend the day with one person in Harvey County, Jorge quickly said Sal Lujano, branch president at People’s Bank and Trust. “I see the influence he has in the community,’ Jorge said. “His success and his Latino background are inspiring. I’d love to learn the things he did to accomplish all that he has, and hear his ambitions for the future.”

I’m sure we can set that up for you, Jorge.

Help us welcome Jorge Batista to Harvey County Economic Development.

One of America's largest honey companies is growing right here in Harvey County.

The Newton City Commission approved a three-year tiered grant this week to support Barkman Honey expansion in Newton, at 1700 SE 9th. The project will enhance the company’s processing, light manufacturing, small-batch assembly, and research and development capabilities.

Headquartered in Hillsboro with facilities nationwide, Barkman Honey's continued investment in Newton and Harvey County demonstrates the value they see in growing where strong partnerships, a skilled workforce and future opportunities exist.

Barkman is the largest honey packer in the United States, packing nearly 100 million pounds of honey annually from facilities across the United States.

We were excited to help Barkman Honey invest, innovate and grow in Harvey County. After all, the sweetest growth is the kind that stays right here at home. And that’s definitely something worth buzzing about.

Our Executive Director Beth Shelton had so much fun putt-ing her skills to the test at Women with Drive, a golf clinic designed to empower women by building skills, confidence and connections. We’re grateful to McCownGordon Construction for sponsoring Beth for this leadership experience. While Beth will be the first to admit that golf is not her cup of “tee.” We think she’s the best, by par. No ifs, ands or putts about it.

Thank you for attending King For Kansas! We are so grateful for the work you do to support Harvey County, its continued growth and our interests in Topeka.

It was an honor to sponsor the area-wide CTE Signing Day at Newton High School. Nearly 200 juniors and seniors from 12 schools across Harvey County were awarded certificates.

These students highlight the impact of career and technical education, building in-demand skills through internships, industry certifications and direct entry into the workforce or continued training.

Brooks Trade Center's technical offerings and partnerships provide a powerful advantage for our community, bringing talent development and training our next generation of skilled professionals. We were grateful to see the support for this unique community asset with a full auditorium of students, parents, instructors, local employers and our legislators.

We attended the Hesston Chamber lunch this week hosted at Hesston College.

Hesston College President Mark Landes shared how the college has grown over time, expanding into multiple bachelor’s degrees and creating new opportunities for students locally, regionally and nationally.

We have a powerful and unique advantage to have both Hesston College and Bethel College in our community; providing a pipeline of talent that supports local businesses and positions Harvey County for long-term growth.