In 2015, Missouri produced about $149 million of rice and about $6.3 billion of biodiesel, according to state agriculture director Richard Fordyce. Missouri’s rice production is ranked 4th in the nation. The state’s biodiesel production is ranked 2nd in the country.
State Ag Director Richard Fordyce
“Those things are significant to the bottom line of Missouri agriculture. They’re very important to the things that we do in Missouri.”
Missouri’s rice producers are primarily in the Bootheel.
Missouri exports agriculture products to at least 100 countries. More than $1 billion of the state’s agriculture products were exported to Mexico last year – making it Missouri’s top trading partner.
“Corn and soybean exports are going into Mexico by rail. We exported more in 2016 than we did in 2015 and more in 2015 than we did in 2014,” says Fordyce.
Canada is Missouri’s second largest agriculture trading partner with more than $454 million in exports in 2015.
A recent study released shows that the value added impact of Missouri’s agriculture industry is $33 billion statewide. More than 375,000 jobs are tied to Missouri agriculture and tax revenues are more than $6 billion a year.
