- Corridor Conversations – quarterly updates on industry
trends featuring national speakers.
- Logistics Seminars – building on KC’s concentration of
logistics and animal health assets, these one-of-a-kind
seminars provide important information for animal health
product distributors and manufacturers.
- Academic Researchers/Company Networking Events –
KC is home to two major veterinary colleges, several
international research organizations and more than
125 animal health companies that are developing
innovative products for the animal health industry.
Periodic events are held that bring together researchers
and industry to collaborate.
Specialized Education and Training
- University of Kansas Masters in Business Administration
in Animal Health – this brand new program offers the
nation’s only MBA degree for the animal health industry.
- Vet Schools – The KC Animal Health Corridor is within
300 miles of four of the nation’s top vet schools – Iowa
State, University of Missouri, Kansas State University
and Oklahoma State University – providing a steady
pipeline of talented, educated workers.
- Vet Tech Programs – KC’s Metropolitan Community
College’s Maple Woods campus has a vet tech program
with a 100% placement rate.
- Institute of Industrial and Applied Life Sciences at
MWSU – located in Saint Joseph, Missouri at Missouri
Western State University, this new institute offers
customized animal health training and degree programs.
Fall 2008 will bring a Masters of Applied Science - cGMP
Quality Assurance and Quality Control emphasis as well
as additional customized cGMP training for the animal
health industry.
Research Collaboration
- Comparative Medicine Research Grants – the Kansas
City Area Life Sciences Institute (KCALSI) offers
grants for up to $50,000 per project each year to area
researchers. Proposals must target disease processes
that affect both humans and animals. They must also
include evidence of an existing or potential partnership
between academic investigators and animal health or
related companies.
- Animal Health Research Symposium – A panel of
national and international experts address a significant
research breakthrough or trend each year as part of the
Central Veterinary Conference held in Kansas City.
Legislative Advocacy
The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce has
made animal health a top priority in all legislative planning
and agenda recommendations since 2006. Their goal is
to encourage incentives and programs that make it easier
and more profitable for animal health companies to do
business in the KC region.
2007 Legislative Accomplishments
- Kansas and Missouri designation of the KC Animal Health Corridor
- Kansas expansion of Angel Investor Tax Credit Program
- Missouri funds Veterinary Study Loan Repayment Program
- Missouri funds research of animal health companies through the Missouri Life Sciences Research Board
2008 Federal Legislative Priorities
- Pass resolution designating the KC Animal Health Corridor
- Increase investment in basic animal health research
- Reauthorize ADUFA and consider improvements
- Expand capacity at U.S. veterinary colleges
- Maintain current legal status of pet owners
- Monitor FDA policies on antibiotics in food animals
Specialized Tax and Incentive Programs
- Kansas Biosciences Authority - Oversees a $580 million
fund (derived over 12 years) and has the ability to offer
forgivable loans, research funding (for Kansas universities)
and other financial incentives to assist bioscience
related companies, including animal health, in making
investments in Kansas. The Kansas Bioscience Authority funds are over and above the already aggressive state of Kansas incentive programs.
- State of Kansas - Exempts personal property taxes (machinery and equipment) through a bill passed into law in 2007.
- Missouri Quality Jobs Program - Provides refundable
state income tax credits allowing companies to retain a
portion of their employee’s payroll withholding taxes in a refund check. Over a five year period, these refund checks to companies can be quite significant.
Business Relocation Assistance
Since 2006, the Kansas City Area Development Council
(KCADC) has assisted more than 25 animal health
companies in their evaluation of the KC Animal Health
Corridor. As a result, five companies and one animal
health association have made the decision to invest in
or relocate to the Corridor. KCADC is available to:
- Coordinate tours and site visits of the region
- Identify real estate options
- Provide extensive demographic information
- Identify all services needed for relocation
- Work with our state and local partners, coordinate taxes and Incentives proposals and execution
- Employee recruitment and relocation advisement
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