Goochland County's roots in agriculture has been a key factor in the steady growth in the food and beverage industry. Farms, breweries, wineries, and hydroponic facilities have been calling Goochland County home for years. Ideally located along Interstate 64, Goochland County provides logistical access along major thoroughfares to transport goods to major markets quickly.

The Richmond region has a skilled and trained labor force, coupled with a robust community college system, and higher education program, provides for a talented workforce pipeline. The pipeline of talent for Goochland starts even earlier than that. Goochland High School has an agriculture program on campus, allowing students hands on experience, and provides them with apprenticeships and internships with local businesses before they graduate.

The Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project between Virginia Tech and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). By developing strategic partnerships with both industry and academia, the goal of the Innovation Center is to conduct research and educational programming to develop, promote and advance the controlled environment agriculture sector in the U.S. and internationally.

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