Trade Matters: Mexico Buyers Mission

Missouri's cattle genetics are paying off. The Missouri Department of Agriculture's Domestic & International Marketing Team, in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, hosted nine cattle buyers from Mexico last week to tour some of our state's impressive seedstock farms. Our team's goal was to generate purchases of live cattle and/or genetics, benefiting Missouri's farmers & ranchers directly. The mission is expected to produce more than $45,000 in sales of those items.

The nine buyers were recruited from various areas of Mexico based on their intention to incorporate new genetics into their herd and identify reproductive management tools to enhance their overall operation. The delegation toured five Missouri cattle operations that represented Red Angus, Black Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Brangus and Beefmaster breeds. On the last day of the mission, the delegation met with Bruce Cluver of AG WORLD INT'L to receive exporting logistic information specific to cattle.

The Missouri and Illinois Departments of Agriculture will follow-up with Mexico buyers’ to track sales and exports of live breeding cattle, semen and embryos. Overall, the mission was a great success and the collaboration efforts with our neighboring state served as a great resource that aided in the overall success of the mission. 

If you are a producer interested in getting involved in the Department's international trade efforts, visit Agriculture.Mo.Gov/exports/.

Click here to read the full story by Julie Harker of Brownfield Ag News. 

The Dream Team

Missouri's investigative dream team can be found right here at your Missouri Department of Agriculture! Our Grain Regulatory Services auditors and leadership were awarded the Investigative Unit of the Year last week at the Missouri State Investigators Association banquet. Their work to locate unlicensed grain dealers in Missouri ensures that you have a safe place to sell your grain at the end of the year.

Auditors in the Grain Regulatory Services program conduct random, unannounced investigations in order to determine if a person or business is operating in a manner that would require a Missouri Grain Dealer License. Over the last year, the team has conducted 34 investigations resulting in seven new licensees. The innovative and diligent effort of our audit team is instrumental in assisting the Grain Regulatory Services program's continued protection of Missouri grain farmers.

Congratulations to to the entire team: Ken Henderson, Eric Berwanger, Leah Baldon, Kyle Sindle, Brent Smith, Brian Steward, Alyvia Toman, Cheryl Beery, Matt Dirksen, Zack Talbott and Grain Inspection & Warehousing Division Director Chris Klenklen.

Click here to find a licensed grain dealer in your area.

Putting our MORE vision into action

Director of Agriculture Chinn authors a monthly column in Missouri Ruralist entitled Ag Matters. Below is this month's column.

“#Farming has been challenging lately but sunsets like this are God’s way of telling us He’s got this!”

I tweeted this after a long, challenging few weeks on the farm. You’ve felt these days on your farm, too — long hours, volatile commodity prices, increased input costs, technology challenges and more. As I returned to the farm a couple of days later, thinking about what is next for Missouri agriculture, I realized that nearly every piece of my farm is a part of the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s More strategic vision. The challenges you face on your farm are exactly what this vision is all about: commodity prices, animal health, business expansion, ag technology, broadband availability, workforce development and cutting regulation.

In fact, these are the challenges that the More strategic vision is made for. Whether you raise cattle, hogs, corn, soybeans, fruits or vegetables, the department is here for you with a vision to strengthen Missouri agriculture and your communities.

We’re talking ag innovation.
We’re talking government efficiency.
We’re talking agribusiness growth.
We’re talking the next generation.
We’re talking true leadership.

Click here to read the remainder of the column.