January 20, 2022

Department Announces Retail Promotion Grant Awardees

Up to $1,000 announced to Missouri retail stores that carry Missouri Grown products.

JEFFERSON CITY

The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Missouri Grown program announced funding for seven retail businesses that carry Missouri Grown products. The Missouri Grown Retail Promotion Matching Grant awards up to $1,000 per retail store for reimbursement of expenses associated with promoting Missouri Grown member products.

“Our Missouri Grown members have told us that placing product in retail stores is one of the biggest challenges to their future growth,” said Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn. “With this grant opportunity, we’ve identified willing business owners who want to solve that challenge. I’m excited to see the growing opportunity pay off for our small businesses, while helping consumers find Missouri products.”

The grant funds are being awarded to retail stores of all sizes. The competitive grant program provides advertising funds to Missouri retail stores that sell products from a minimum of five Missouri Grown member companies. Stores represented include single locations, as well Schnucks Markets, with locations across the state.

The grant raises awareness to communities about the products grown, raised and produced by members of the Missouri Grown program, the state’s branded program for agriculture products. Funds also improve understanding of raising food and promotes agriculture in recipient communities.

Grant recipients are using award dollars in a variety of ways. Some recipients are focusing on physical promotion items, such as a mobile trailer wrap, billboards, store signage and magazine ads. Others are promoting Missouri Grown through live streams, digital advertisements, radio campaigns, social media and e-newsletters.

The 2022 grant recipients are:

  • Midwest Specialty Foods, Lee’s Summit
  • Green Dirt Farm Creamery, Weston
  • Farmers’ Meat Market LLC, Vienna
  • Maw Maw’s Cupboard, Warrenton
  • Missouri Made c/o Dogwood Vintiques, Jefferson City
  • Schnucks Markets, multiple locations
  • Local 60 Farmers’ Market/Smithfield Food Trading Post, Smithville

Missouri Grown is a program of the Missouri Department of Agriculture that represents nearly 1,000 small businesses in food, agriculture and agritourism. From pears to pork, hundreds of fresh and nutritious products are grown by the men and women of Missouri agriculture. When you pick Missouri Grown products, you show your state pride and support your neighbors — the farmers and business owners who make Missouri so great. To learn more about the Missouri Grown program, visit MissouriGrownUSA.com.

For more information on the Department and its programs, visit Agriculture.Mo.Gov.