Missouri Department of Agriculture

What Missouri Department of Agriculture does

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) is the state government agency responsible for agricultural regulation, animal health, financial assistance, and market development across Missouri. The agency operates through multiple divisions including the Animal Health Division (with ISO 17025-accredited diagnostic laboratories in Jefferson City and Springfield, the latter part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network), the Agriculture Business Development Division (including Market News, Missouri Grown branding, and international trade), the Grain Division, the Plants and Pests Division, and the Weights and Measures Division. The agency also oversees the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA), which administers a portfolio of loans (Beginning Farmer up to $682,700, Down Payment up to $200,000, Alternative up to $20,000, Animal Waste Treatment, Agribusiness Revolving), loan guarantees (up to $250,000 for Value-Added Agriculture and Single-Purpose Animal Facilities), and six distinct tax credit programs targeting meat processing, urban farms, specialty crops, new generation cooperatives, and family farm livestock.

Funding flows from state appropriations, service fees (diagnostic lab tests ranging from $0.15 to $68.25), licensing fees, and tax credit program administration, with no commercial revenue concentration. The agency serves five primary segments: agricultural producers (farmers, ranchers, livestock and poultry operators), youth in agriculture (4-H and FFA members, Agribusiness Academy), agribusinesses (processors, distributors), consumers (weights and measures protection), and international partners (Taiwan trade office). Director Chris Chinn has led the agency since 2017 under a MASBDA governance board chaired by Karisha Devlin. The agency reports no proprietary technology product and operates as a traditional service-delivery public entity whose scale is best measured by the approximately $94 billion Missouri agriculture economy it supports.

Name

Missouri Department of Agriculture

Legal name

Missouri Department of Agriculture

Website

https://agriculture.mo.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is a state government agency that regulates agriculture, operates diagnostic laboratories for animal health, administers MASBDA loan and tax credit programs for producers and agribusinesses, and runs market development and youth outreach programs for Missouri's farmers, ranchers, and consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Jefferson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State Government Funding: State government agency funded through state appropriations, service fees, and tax credit programs administered on behalf of Missouri's agricultural sector.
2. Service Fees: Fees charged for diagnostic laboratory services, license applications, and various agricultural program services.
3. Tax Credit Administration: Beginning Farmer Tax Deduction Program provides tax incentives to farmland sellers and lessors who transfer land to beginning farmers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) is a state government agency that promotes and protects Missouri's agriculture industry through regulatory oversight, animal health diagnostics, financial assistance programs (loans, loan guarantees, and tax credits) administered via MASBDA, market news reporting, the Missouri Grown marketing program, and youth agricultural education and outreach initiatives.

Product overview

The Missouri Department of Agriculture operates as a traditional government regulatory and service agency rather than a technology product company. Its portfolio consists of regulatory programs, financial assistance products, youth development initiatives, and laboratory services. The financial services are administered through MASBDA (Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority) and include multiple loan programs (Beginning Farmer, Down Payment, Alternative, Animal Waste Treatment, Agribusiness Revolving), loan guarantees (Single-Purpose Animal Facilities, Value-Added Agriculture, Crop and Livestock), and tax credits (Meat Processing, Urban Farm, Specialty Crops, New Generation Cooperative, Family Farm Breeding Livestock, Agricultural Products Utilization). Supporting programs include the Missouri Agribusiness Academy youth program, BOAC grants, Missouri Grown marketing brand, Market News reporting, ISO 17025 accredited Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories, Agri-Security biosecurity services, and Weights & Measures consumer protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories
• MASBDA Loan Programs
• MASBDA Loan Guarantee Programs
• MASBDA Tax Credit Programs
• Beginning Farmer Tax Deduction
• Missouri Grown
• Market News Service
• Agri-Security and Secure Food Supply Plans
• Weights and Measures
• Grain Division Services
• Meat and Poultry Inspection Program
• Missouri Agribusiness Academy
• Building Our American Communities (BOAC) Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• Agriculture, forestry and related industries contribute nearly $94 billion to Missouri's economy (2021 study).
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and flagship.

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA partnership for federal premises ID registration, animal health programs, Secure Food Supply Plans, and NAHLN laboratory network membership enabling early detection and response to foreign animal diseases affecting Missouri livestock.
• University of Missouri ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMU Extension collaborates with MDA on statewide drought monitoring through soil moisture sensors, CMOR reports, and CoCoRaHS precipitation tracking to support Missouri farmers.
• Missouri Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNR partners with MDA on drought monitoring initiatives, utilizing soil moisture sensors and precipitation tracking data with plans for DNR dashboard availability.
• Missouri Highway Patrol - Rural Crimes Investigative UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural Crimes hotline (888) 484-8477 operates 24/7 for reporting agricultural crimes including equipment, fuel, livestock, and property theft. Since 2009, over 1,300 incidents investigated with $6 million in property recovered.
• Missouri Office of Homeland SecuritysupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDA works with Missouri Office of Homeland Security on Agri-Security awareness and emergency preparedness for agricultural infrastructure protection.
• Missouri State Fair AuthorityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDA partners with Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, hosting the annual event and Missouri Agribusiness Academy sessions during State Fair week, promoting agricultural education and industry showcase.
• Secure Sheep and Wool Supply PlansupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational secure food supply plan program providing guidance for sheep producers to prepare for disease outbreaks and maintain business continuity.
• Secure Pork Supply PlansupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational secure food supply plan program providing guidance for pork producers to prepare for FMD and other disease outbreaks.
• Secure Beef Supply PlansupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational secure food supply plan program providing guidance for beef producers to prepare for FMD and other disease outbreaks.
• Secure Milk Supply PlansupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational secure food supply plan program providing guidance for dairy producers to prepare for FMD and other disease outbreaks.
• Secure Poultry Supply PlansupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational secure food supply plan program providing guidance for poultry producers to prepare for HPAI and other disease outbreaks.
• 4-H and FFA OrganizationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMissouri 4-H and FFA organizations partner with MDA for youth outreach through BOAC grants, Missouri Agribusiness Academy, livestock programs, and youth agricultural education.
• Missouri Commodity CouncilssupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with commodity councils for producer voter registration and agricultural industry development across Missouri's diverse agricultural sectors.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Kansas Department of Agriculture: Kansas state agriculture agency that regulates animal health, water appropriation, grain, and plant protection. Most direct functional peer to MDA given shared state-line borders, similar agricultural sectors (livestock/crops), and shared lab/animal health responsibilities.
• Illinois Department of Agriculture: Illinois state agriculture agency administering animal health, plant/seed inspection, weights and measures, and agricultural development programs. Highly comparable to MDA across regulatory, marketing, and youth/education services in a neighboring state.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture: State-level agriculture department responsible for plant/animal health, marketing, and inspection programs in California. Direct functional peer to MDA with comparable regulatory, diagnostic laboratory, and trade promotion mandates, but serving a different state and crop mix.
• Texas Department of Agriculture: Texas state agriculture department providing farm assistance, marketing, and regulatory oversight including pesticide and weights and measures enforcement. Comparable in scale and breadth of programs to MDA, but serving Texas's much larger and more diverse agricultural economy.
• Nebraska Department of Agriculture: Nebraska state agriculture department administering animal health, plant health, and agricultural development programs. Highly comparable peer to MDA given adjacent geography, similar livestock-heavy producer base, and parallel diagnostic lab function.
• Indiana State Department of Agriculture: Indiana's state agriculture department focusing on agricultural economic development, environmental stewardship, and youth education. Comparable peer in size and program scope to MDA's Ag Business Development Division, youth programs, and conservation initiatives.
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Wisconsin state agriculture department covering farm-to-table programs, animal health, plant industry, trade, and consumer protection. Direct structural parallel to MDA with the added dimension of consumer-protection integration analogous to MDA's Weights & Measures program.
• Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship: Iowa's state agriculture department overseeing crop production, livestock, soil conservation, and agricultural diversification. Closely comparable peer to MDA in livestock/diagnostic, grain, and conservation programming with similar Midwest producer base.
• North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: NC's combined agriculture and consumer services agency operating research stations, food distribution, and marketing programs. Comparable peer to MDA in offering integrated ag/consumer services, but broader scope including consumer-facing retail and food distribution channels.

Broad incumbents

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Federal-level equivalent administering farm programs, animal disease response, and nutrition assistance nationwide. Overlaps MDA on premises ID registration, NAHLN laboratory work, FSA Beginning Farmer lending pathways, and rural development — but operates at much broader geographic and programmatic scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MoAgriculture
• YouTubeyoutube.com/moagriculture
• Facebookfacebook.com/MoAgriculture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moagriculture
• Instagraminstagram.com/moagriculture

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Missouri Department of Agriculture