Feeding MORE Missouri children

The 2018 Drive to Feed Kids kicked off this week. The goal for this collaboration among Missouri agriculture groups is to raise funds to provide food for hungry Missouri children, pack 100,000 nutritious, kid-friendly meals at the Missouri State Fair and to stand in the gap for the Missouri children who face food insecurity.

In 2017, Missouri Farmers Care (MFC) launched Drive to Feed Kids to combat childhood hunger and showcase Missouri agriculture. The inaugural Drive raised nearly $150,000 for Feeding Missouri, the coalition of Missouri’s six regional food banks, provided 52,000 nutritious meals and 9,000 pounds of food donations to Missouri children who face hunger on a regular basis.

According to the latest data from Feeding America's “Map the Meal Gap”, there are more than 240,000 children in Missouri who don’t know where their next meal will come from. Missouri counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are disproportionately rural, where one out of every three children faces food insecurity.

Click here to learn how you can help.

Dairy Month starts with dairy scholarships

The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA) and the Missouri Department of Agriculture are pleased to announce that eight college students pursuing a career in agriculture are recipients of a $5,000 Missouri Dairy Scholars scholarship. 

Students who qualified had to be enrolled in a two or four-year Missouri college and have a dairy-related internship or work on a dairy farm. 

As part of their scholarship, recipients must commit to working in the ag industry in Missouri for at least two years after graduation. 

The 2018 scholarship recipients are:

• Terri Atteberry, Conway, Mo. - Ozarks Technical Community College
• Emma Downing, Centerview, Mo. - University of Missouri
• Derrik Hardy, Browning, Mo. - University of Missouri
• Kathleen McFadden, Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri
• Lani Ogle, Sarcoxie, Mo. - Crowder College
• Anna Tarpey, Wildwood, Mo. - University of Missouri, Columbia
• Kathleen Wantland, Niangua, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State University
• Iris Wormington, Monett, Mo. - Crowder College

Congratulations to all of these young men and women! 

Click here to learn more about the Dairy Scholarship Program. 

Save the date: Missouri Agritourism Conference

The Missouri Department of Agriculture's Missouri Grown program and Missouri Farm Bureau are partnering to sponsor the Missouri Agritourism Conference, July 29-31, 2018, at the Drury Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. 

This conference provides a way for farmers to build connections with one another and the public to learn about agriculture while being entertained.

This year, participants will be able to tour several farms, go to a museum, winery, and more. They will also participate in workshop sessions on agriculture and business success.

Reserve your spot ($125/person) and book a rooms (reduced rate of $109.99 plus tax per night) by July 15.  A person can still register for the conference after July 15 but the registration fee will be $150. After July 15 rooms at the hotel are subject to availability and the negotiated room rate may not be available.

Click here to reserve your spot!