California’s high taxes, strict regulations and soaring operating costs — including sky-high electricity rates — are driving companies away at an alarming rate. Farms and food processing facilities are hit especially hard and are shutting down or ceasing operations in the state and moving elsewhere where operating costs remain lower. Examples include:

Foster Farms (Turlock, CA)

Leprino Foods (East Lemoore, CA)

Del Monte Foods (Hanford, CA)

Spreckels Sugar Company (Imperial Valley, CA)

Blue Diamond Growers (Sacramento, CA)

Frito-Lay (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)

Hearthside Food Solutions (Anaheim, CA)

Gallo Winery (San Miguel)

Andersen & Sons (Vina, CA)

Mid Valley Nut (Turlock, CA)

Poindexter Nut (Selma, CA) – on its way out…

Olam cotton (CA and AZ)

Olam Food Ingredients (Firebaugh, CA)

Olam Tomate Processing (OTP) – Lemoore and Williams, CA

Britz Gin (Five Points, CA)

Westside Farmers Coop Gin (Tranquility, CA)

Touchstone Pistachio (Terra Bella and Chowchilla, CA)