News Release
January 23, 2012
Gov. Nixon and Director of Ag Honor Outstanding Exporter during Governor's Conference on Agriculture
RIBUS, Inc. of Clayton received the Agricultural Exporter of the Year Award
RIBUS, Inc received some high honors in front of hundreds of Missouri producers and agribusiness leaders during the 43rd Missouri Governor's Conference on Agriculture, hosted by Gov. Jay Nixon and the Missouri Department of Agriculture. During the awards banquet Saturday evening, Missouri's Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler recognized the company with Missouri's Agricultural Exporter of the Year honors.
RIBUS, Inc. of Clayton, Mo. was honored with Missouri's 2011 Agricultural Exporter of the Year award. The company, whose name serves as an acronym for Rice Business United States, produces rice-based food ingredients. Company founder and president Steve Peirce accepted the award Saturday evening.
The company, which was founded in 1992, has grown from one employee - Steve - working in the basement of his home, to more than 85 employees and more than 120 distributors worldwide. The company holds five product patents within the U.S. and 17 internationally, and has averaged 20 percent growth each of the last 10 years. RIBUS, Inc. has established markets on five continents, including more than 40 countries.
Missouri began recognizing business' international efforts with the Missouri Agricultural Exporter of the Year award in 1991.
The Conference, which was held in Kansas City for the first time, concluded Saturday evening with a special performance by country music star Mark Chesnutt. Other special events during the three-day gathering included the Taste of AgriMissouri reception during which more than two dozen producers shared their Missouri-grown foods and beverages with attendees and the benefit auction supporting the FFA, 4-H, ALOT and AFA programs for youth and young professionals in agriculture.
For more information on the Governor's Conference on Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Agriculture, visit the Department online at http://www.mda.mo.gov.
Note: A photo of Peirce accepting the award is available online via the Department's Flickr stream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/moagriculture/sets/72157628999712673/ and on the Department's Facebook page.