Why Missouri?
What are the considerations those of us in the business of producing milk feel are important? Well, of course, profit ranks high on the list. But there are other important items to consider for a profitable dairy operation. What about land? Processing plants and markets? Animal feed resources? Business climate--taxes, utilities, labor force? The livestock industry? Educational opportunities? Quality of living? The Missouri Dairy Growth Council feels Missouri offers competitive advantages in all of these areas for producers who are starting a dairy operation, expanding an existing unit, or who are interested in relocating for any of a variety of reasons. Let’s look at some of the opportunities Missouri offers to those in the business of producing milk.
Feed
Missouri is a major producer of grain and forage. This means there are plentiful supplies of high-quality feed for dairies. Its midwest location means that large quantities of grain and forage are at hand from neighboring states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas.
Missouri's Rank in Grain and Forage Production
| Hay, excluding alfalfa | 2nd |
| Soybeans | 7th |
| Rice | 6th |
| All hay | 3rd |
| Corn for grain | 9th |
| Winter wheat | 11th |
There are opportunities across Missouri to purchase quality manufactured feed. In addition the many Missouri industries processing grain--breweries, energy, human food--means there are large quantities of nutritious by -product feeds of value as feed ingredients in dairy operations. In Missouri farmers routinely have access to by-product feeds from corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, and cotton processing industries at favorable prices. For those milk producers who use pasture forage for dry cows and heifers, Missouri has millions of acres of forage capable of producing quality and low-cost feed.
Missouri's Livestock Industry in General
Missouri farmers are livestock oriented. Livestock and related products account for 53% of the state’s agricultural receipts. As a result the work force looks favorably on and enjoys working in animal husbandry.
Missouri's Rank in Livestock and Livestock Products
| Cattle operations | 2nd | Beef operations | 2nd | |
| Calf crop | 2nd | All cows | 3rd | |
| Turkeys raised | 3rd | Swine | 6th | |
| Dairy operations | 6th | Broilers | 10th |
Dairying
Even though the Missouri livestock industry is highly developed there is an opportunity for expansion --especially dairying--in the state and, in particular, northern Missouri. That portion of the state is less heavily populated, land prices tend to be lower, and a clay subsoil provides the opportunity for inexpensive, yet environmentally sound, waste containment and management.
Missouri has the infrastructure for handling a large
capacity of milk for processing which makes for a
competitive market. Currently, Missouri’s milk processing
facilities have the capacity to handle annually
more than an additional billion pounds of
milk--or the milk from 50,000 more cows!
Missouri’s central location also puts it in a
position to supply milk-deficit areas of the
United States such as southeast markets.
The University of Missouri Commercial Agriculture dairy focus team has the expertise to provide dairy producers with strategic and financial planning, relocation, and production issues.
Fluid milkbottling plants include Central Dairy, Jefferson City; College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout; Hiland Dairy, Spring- field; Mid-States Dairy, Hazelwood; Roberts Dairy, Kansas City; Patke Farm, Washington; Pevely Dairy, St. Louis; Martin Dairy, Humansville; Green Hills Organic Dairy, Purdin; Melody Lane Dairy, Fordland; plus smaller plants at various locations.
Dairy product manufacturing plants are located at Central Dairy, Jefferson City; Dairy Farmers of America at Cabool, Monett, and Springfield; Instant Whip, St. Louis; Kraft, Springfield; Madison Dairy Products, St. Louis; Milnot, Seneca; Jasper Milk Products, Joplin; Belfonte Ice Cream, Sikeston; Dairy Concepts, Eldorado Springs; Schreiber Cheese, Monett; and Ice Cream Specialties, Madison Dairy Products, Raskas Foods, Sanitary Dairy, and Southern Products, all of St. Louis.
Environment
Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources assists in guiding farmers in permitting, compliance, and management to meet environmental requirements. The Department also provides farmers with information and guidelines needed, through its Environmental Assistance Office, to make sound business decisions, in regard to the environment and environmental practices.
Weather
Atmospheric scientists at the University of Missouri can provide specific weather information for different areas of the state. Central and northern Missouri occasionally experience a few days with temperatures below zero, but there are winters when the temperatures do not get that low.
Periods of cold weather are usually interrupted by periods of at least a few mild days. It is not uncommon to find some days with temperatures in the 60s in the midst of the winter months.
Snow falls each winter but it is unlikely that a snow cover will persist for more than three weeks. Most of the time when snow does fall, it stays on the ground for less than a week. The state average is less than 12 inches annually. Substantial snowfall is most likely to occur in March. Temperatures of 100 degrees or more occur in some years but in most years the temperature fails to reach the century mark.
Late spring and early summer produce more frequent and larger amounts of rain than the rest of the year. The average occurrence of the last temperature as cold as 32 degrees in spring is early April, and the first 32 degree temperature in the fall generally occurs in late October. Average precipitation in central Missouri is 39 inches.
Land
Land. Lots of land. That describes the situation in most of rural Missouri. Thirty percent of Missouri’s 114 counties have a population of less than 10,000. Many of the lesser populated counties are in north Missouri, an area with soil types and water resources ideal for a dairy operation.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture as of Jan. 1, 2005 Missouri farm land prices-- land and buildings--averaged $1,740 statewide. However, farm land prices are significantly lower in regions outside the metropolitan areas--50- mile radius--of St. Louis and Kansas City. Prime locations for large confined dairy operations are available in most all of Missouri’s counties north of the Missouri River, in the western tier of counties south of Kansas City on the Kansas border, and in southeast Missouri.
Sources of Information
| Gene Wiseman, Dairy Project Manager Missouri Department of Agriculture 1616 Missouri Boulevard Jefferson City, Missouri 65102 573-751-2969 gene.wiseman@mda.mo.gov |
Alan Wessler, President Missouri Dairy Growth Council MFA Incorporated 210 Ray Young Drive Columbia, Missouri 65201 573-874-5111 awessler@mfa-inc.com |
| Darrick H. Steen, P.E., Environmental Specialist Agriculture Unit Chief Water Protection Program Missouri Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 176 Jefferson City, Missouri 65102 573-751-1300 darrik.steen@dnr.mo.gov |
Terry Maglich, Project Manager Missouri Department of Economic Development 301 West High Street Jefferson City, Missouri 65102 terry.maglich@ded.mov.gov |
| David Drennan, Executive Director Missouri Dairy Association 1954 Sumter Ridge Court Chesterfield, Missouri 65211 636-519-9300 dairystl@aol.com |
Rex Ricketts, Coordinator |
Missouri Dairy Growth Council
1954 Summer Ridge Court * Chesterfield, MO 63017
Phone: (636) 519-9300 * Fax: (636) 519-1403
E-mail: dairystl@aol.com