June 10, 2011

Missouri Agriculture Photo Contest Captures Life on the Farm

Deadline to enter: July 25

The Missouri Department of Agriculture launched the 2nd annual Focus on Missouri Agriculture photo contest, asking Missourians to help capture the unique stories and images of agriculture through photographs. The contest, which will run through July 25, asks amateur photographers from all over the state to submit their best photographs of a beautiful Missouri farm, a snapshot of a farm tractor that has been in the family for years or the fun and excitement of a child at agritourism operation.

"Every farm in our state has a story to tell and photos are a great way to capture this story," says Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler. "The photo contest will allow Missourians to share their favorite moments on their farms with others who share a love for agriculture and those that want to learn more about life on the farm."

The photo contest is open to all amateur photographers. Participants can enter up to three photos in each of the five categories. The categories include: The Beauty of the Farm, Faces of the Farm, The Farming Life, The Pride of the Farm and Children's Barnyard, which is open to photographers age 12 and under. Entries will be judged on visual impact, creativity, memorable content and image quality.

The contest offers big prizes and many chances to win thanks to the Missouri Department of Agriculture's AgriMissouri program. A $50 AgriMissouri gift basket will be awarded to the winner in each category, while the single image selected as the judge's favorite overall will receive a $100 gift basket as the Best of Show winner. The Children's Barnyard category winner will receive an agritourism outdoor adventure. Winners will be announced at the 2011 Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Aug. 11-21 and will be displayed during the State Fair in the Agriculture Building.

For a complete list of rules and guidelines, visit http://mda.mo.gov/focus/. Photos submitted to the contest will be placed on the MoAgriculture Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/moagriculture. Photos must be submitted by July 25.

More information about the Missouri Department of Agriculture and its programs is available online at http://www.mda.mo.gov.