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Missouri ag impact study revealed to ag committees

The new leader of the Missouri Department of Agriculture tells lawmakers agriculture has a more than 88-Billion dollar impact in the state.  Acting Ag Director Chris Chinn presented a new report to a joint Senate/House Committee, “We spend $55-Billion dollars to add $33-Billion dollars to the state of Missouri for a total of $88-point-4-Billion. This number does not include grocery stores, restaurants or retail outlets.”

Chinn testified that Missouri has close to 100-thousand farms, 90 percent of which are family-owned. In 2016, she said agriculture, forestry and related industries in Missouri produced about close to 380-thousand jobs.

Missouri Senate Ag Committee Chairman Brian Munzlinger says he wants the Legislature to use the detailed farm report as a reference for ag-related priorities, “It helps us shine the light on agriculture and give an awareness for my colleagues and your all’s colleagues to see the importance of agriculture.”

Chinn’s department partnered with Missouri Farm Bureau to conduct the study, which was funded through the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority. The report was first released at the 2016 Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture in December.

It found that the average age of Missouri farmers is 58, in line with the national average.