Regional Profile California’s Salinas Valley is known for its vibrant agriculture industry and as the hometown of writer and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate John Steinbeck, who based several of his novels there, including Of Mice and Men . Located just 60 miles south of Silicon Valley, the region is home to a $9 billion agriculture industry. Known as “The Salad Bowl of the World,” the Salinas Valley is responsible for growing roughly 70% of the nation’s lettuce, as well as broccoli, mushrooms, strawberries and numerous other produce crops. If it has anything to do with agriculture, it’s happening in Salinas. Salinas has also earned a global reputation as an agriculture and innovation hub. Both iceberg lettuce and bagged salad, which revolutionized the fresh food industry, were invented in this region. Home to a USDA Agricultural Research Station and the Steinbeck Innovation Foundation, Salinas is a hotbed for agricultural research and resources. Salinas is the ideal place for agribusinesses and technology
from incoming fog and the afternoons are cooled by ocean breeze. Average annual precipitation for this area is 14.2 inches. Salinas has the cleanest air of any city in California, ranking 6th in the entire country for air quality. The Salinas Valley is home to spectacular scenery, from breathtaking mountains and valleys, to the beauty of the sun, sand, sea and soil. Salinas is the regional trade center for California’s Central Coast counties, and the industrial, commercial
companies alike to leverage California’s natural resources and innovative environment. The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology plays a critical role in this collaboration.
and residential hub of the Salinas Valley. The city is also the county seat of Monterey County, and the largest municipality by population in the Central Coast region.
As the city with the largest population in California’s Central Coast, Salinas is a multicultural and diverse community and a key asset in today’s global economy. The nearby Pacific Ocean keeps the Salinas Valley nice and cool. Its Mediterranean- like climate with average temperatures at 68ºF is perfect for growing plants. During summer months, the mornings are cool
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