Site Map | Jobs | Contact Us | State Home

Missouri Department of Agriculture

Ag Business Development

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetable production in Missouri is divided between wholesale and retail production. The larger, wholesale production takes place in the bootheel area along with locations near Kansas City and St. Louis to take advantage of the wholesale markets there. The small-scale producers throughout the state primarily sell retail to individuals through farmers’ markets, CSAs, U-pick operations and roadside stands. Few small-scale producers have moved into the wholesale market selling to institutions, restaurants and grocery stores.

Increased consumer awareness and demand for organic foods and the approval of federal organic standards and soon to be finalized Missouri organic standards combine to offer market opportunities for producers. For small-scale producers, wholesale marketing to institutions, grocery stores and restaurants is an untapped market. Specialty vegetables and herbs are especially in demand by restaurants. Hydroponics is a growing production method for producers and commands premium prices. Growing vegetables year round in greenhouses allows producers to capture markets that seasonal growers can’t fill. Producer groups forming marketing alliances or cooperatives and offering a greater diversity of products have a particular advantage in their ability to both capture markets and reach retail and wholesale markets beyond their local area.

Resources:

• Missouri Organic Association http://www.missouriorganic.org
• Southwest Missouri Center at Mount Vernon (University of Missouri)
• Database of fruit and vegetable growers (University of Missouri AgEbb)
• Practical Farmers of Iowa
• “Selling certified organic produce to retail produce markets in the Upper Midwest” (Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, University of Wisconsin)
• “Marketing Strategies for Vegetable Growers” (University of Florida)
• A Guide to Marketing Organic Produce (Texas A&M)
• “Marketing Options for Commercial Vegetable Growers” (pdf)
  (University of Kentucky)
• “Marketing Alternatives for Specialty Produce” (pdf) (Pacific Northwest Extension)
• Small Fruits (Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium)
• Resources for Organic Marketing (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas)
• Marketing Options for Commercial Vegetable Growers (University of Kentucky)
• Vegetable cooperatives article on increased opportunities for cooperatives (Cornell University)
• The New Rules includes opportunities for expanding local markets

Organizations and Associations:

• Missouri Vegetable Growers Association, (826) 632-1350
• Missouri Small Fruit Growers Association, (573) 627-3717
• Missouri Apple Merchandising Council, (573) 442-3207
• Blueberry Council of Missouri, (573) 547-4448
• Missouri Peach Merchandising Council, (573) 624-4848
• Missouri Organic Association
• Organic Crop Improvement Association, Missouri Chapter 1, (660) 883-5812

Examples of Produce Businesses:

• Home Grown Wisconsin: The Story of a New Producer Cooperative (pdf) (Case study by Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs)

Missouri Contacts to Assist You with Innovative Produce Ventures:

• Horticulture Specialist, Ag Business Development, (573) 751-4339