Missouri Agribusiness Academy logo

About the Missouri Agribusiness Academy

Agriculture has a tremendous impact on our nation’s economy, and Missouri is at the heart of this industry. It is important that young people carry on the tradition and heritage of those who have made this state the agricultural leader it is today and develop the skills necessary to continue that legacy in the future.

Since 1988, the Missouri Agribusiness Academy (MAbA) has awarded 1,060 academy memberships through a competitive application and interview process. To be eligible for the Missouri Agribusiness Academy, students must come from a farming family or be an active member of the National FFA Organization or 4-H. The 2023 MAbA class will tour agribusinesses, explore educational opportunities and meet with agricultural leaders in the St. Louis area from June 5-9, 2023. The students will end their week in Jefferson City.

Congratulations to the Missouri Agribusiness Academy Class of 2023!

Additional photos of previous Missouri Agribusiness Academy tours are available on the Department’s Flickr stream, online at flickr.com/moagriculture.

Northeast Distict

  • Image of Avery Ridgley

    Avery Ridgley
    Jonesburg, MO

  • Image of Catherine Henke

    Catherine Henke
    Moscow Mills, MO

  • Image of McKenna Claborn

    McKenna Claborn
    Silex, MO

  • Image of Nina Momphard

    Nina Momphard
    Troy, MO

  • Image of Reid Ragsdale

    Reid Ragsdale
    Holliday, MO

Central Distict

  • Image of Brayden Hallford

    Brayden Hallford
    California, MO

  • Image of Cash Honeycutt

    Cash Honeycutt
    Richmond, MO

  • Image of Reagan O'Farrell

    Reagan O'Farrell
    Appleton City, MO

  • Image of Skylar Wolfe

    Skylar Wolfe
    Slater, MO

  • Image of Tyne Wilson

    Tyne Wilson
    Pleasant Hill, MO

Southeast Distict

  • Image of Autumn Jones

    Autumn Jones
    East Prairie, MO

  • Image of Kendal Schroeder

    Kendal Schroeder
    Grandin, MO

  • Image of Macie Winkler

    Macie Winkler
    Poplar Bluff, MO

  • Image of Pakey Matthews

    Pakey Matthews
    Fredericktown, MO

  • Image of Taylor Nothdurft

    Taylor Nothdurft
    Friedheim, MO

Southwest Distict

  • Image of Kiley Evans

    Kiley Evans
    Galena, MO

  • Image of Lindsay McDonald

    Lindsay McDonald
    Mt. Vernon, MO

  • Image of Raegan Pendleton

    Raegan Pendleton
    Stotts City, MO

  • Image of Rhett Keaton

    Rhett Keaton
    Anderson, MO

  • Image of Saige Miller

    Saige Miller
    Cassville, MO

South Central Distict

  • Image of Cierra Britton

    Cierra Britton
    Cuba, MO

  • Image of Lane Engelmeier

    Lane Engelmeier
    St. James, MO

  • Image of Marlee Jones

    Marlee Jones
    Cuba, MO

  • Image of Raymond Cunningham

    Raymond Cunningham
    Salem, MO

  • Image of Sophia Binkholder

    Sophia Binkholder
    Hermann, MO

Northwest Distict

  • Image of Hadley Cline

    Hadley Cline
    Maryville, MO

  • Image of Harlee Beck

    Harlee Beck
    Chillicothe, MO

  • Image of Jenna Edwards

    Jenna Edwards
    Carrollton, MO

  • Image of Samuel Jordan

    Samuel Jordan
    Savannah, MO

  • Image of Yoo Jung Lee

    Yoo Jung Lee
    Chillicothe, MO

About the Application Process

Applicants will be sorted into six geographical regions and five students from each region will attend the Missouri Agribusiness Academy. The applicant’s region is determined by the county of their high school’s physical location. Student’s will be evaluated and compared only to the other applicants in their region. A link to the MAbA district map is below.

Written applications are scored by a panel of independent judges. The top ten applicants per region will move into the semi-finals and will be invited to an interview. Semi-finalists must attend an in-person interview. The five applicants with the highest combined written and interview scores from each region will be selected to participate in the Missouri Agribusiness Academy.