Domestic and International Marketing
Aquaculture Program
Missouri’s Aquaculture Program promotes aquaculture production to customers in both domestic and international markets. Missouri fish production includes warm and cold water species, bait, ornamental, food fish, and fish for stocking. In addition, several Missouri companies provide supplies or services that support the industry.
Farmer’s Markets
Consumers are expressing a renewed interest in buying food directly from the farmer or grower in their local areas. One reason for this consumer change is the new awareness of the importance of fresh vegetables and fruit in the diet, which are creating opportunities for marketing local produce to consumers through farmers’ markets. Also, the economic opportunities and rewards of the markets in a community’s development are being realized from community leaders.
The Farmers’ Market Directory offers a comprehensive listing of farmers’ markets in Missouri, including sale dates, hours, locations, contact names and telephone numbers.
The Missouri Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Market Resources complies a clearinghouse of resources for market masters, those interested in starting a market in their community and for farmers of direct marketing.
Farmer’s Market Media Kit
The tools found in this kit will help you spread the word about farmers’ markets, draw additional interest in specific times of year and keep customers coming back long after the "new" of the season wears off.
Hay Directory
The Missouri Hay Directory lists producer names, telephone numbers, amounts and types of hay for sale and bale size and shape. The publication is user-friendly and divides Missouri listings by counties along with listing out-of-state producers and truckers/dealers.
International Marketing Program
Exports are a profit center for Missouri’s farms, food processors, agricultural businesses and forestry product companies. The International Marketing Program provides a variety of export services and has successfully linked Missouri’s producers of processed foods, including meat and poultry, food ingredients, feed ingredients, identity preserved grains, forestry products, and purebred livestock to international buyers; and these introductions have resulted in millions of dollars in export sales.
Organic Marketing Program
The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Organic Marketing Program protects consumers and supports the organic food industry by providing technical information about organic food production, and by assisting with development of markets for Missouri’s organic industry.
Missouri Quality Systems Assessment (QSA)
Missouri was the first state in the U.S. to implement a QSA program allowing producers to sell source and age verified cattle with third party verification. Missouri is the second largest cow/calf producer in the U.S. and with programs such as QSA, Missouri will continue to be a supplier of high quality beef both in the domestic and global market places.
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)
Many questions have been raised by Missouri farmers about how to comply with the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulations. The following link will direct you to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Services COOL Web site www.ams.usda.gov/COOL to help you answer your questions.