Fall issue introduction: Food, wine & art economics

WHEN WE TELL PEOPLE WE PUBLISH Sierra FoodWineArt magazine, they invariably smile. “Oh, my favorite things!” they say. Or a more sarcastic response: “Gee, tough job!”

It is fun to write about food, wine, art, beer and “destination” travel in our region. But there’s also a serious side: Food, wine and art (which go hand-in-hand) are becoming a potent force in economic development in the Gold Country and Sierra.

They are providing economic diversity and growth.

Since the Gold Rush days, our economy largely has been dependent on boom-and-bust cycles. First there was gold; now there is construction and real estate.

Our recent recession, the worst since the Great Depression, left us vulnerable. Family net worth dropped to levels of the early ‘90s, the Fed says. And the cost of the financial crisis: “no less than $12.8 trillion,” according to a new report.

But the travel industry has been more resilient than most. Travel spending in the Gold Country stands at more than $3.8 billion annually, creating 35,500 jobs and generating $198 million in local and state taxes, according to a report for the California Travel and Tourism Commission.

The Gold Country’s travel spending growth rate—6.3 percent from last year over 2010—has outpaced other regions, including San Diego County, the North Coast and the Inland Empire, the report says.

The wine grape crop in Nevada County was valued at $1.9 million last year, up from $1 million in 2010, according to the new crop re- port. More tasting rooms are opening in the historic downtowns—five in Grass Valley alone.

As for food, local fruits and vegetables showed increased revenue of 36 percent last year over 2010. Live- stock production (including the free-range variety) grew 52 percent. There’s a new generation of farmers.
The arts also are an economic driver. Dinner and a show go together, generating income for local businesses, including restaurants, hotels and retail stores.

Like the Napa, Sonoma and San Luis Obispo areas previously, we’re now experiencing an economic transformation in the Gold Country and Sierra, creating a more vibrant, enticing and sustainable region.

Photographer John Daly now has a show at Java Johns, 306 Broad St, Nevada City