Friday 29th March 2024

COVID-19 has disrupted Missouri’s agricultural industry through lower, unstable commodity prices, strain on the food supply chain and changes in consumer purchasing habits.
The University of Missouri Extension says the U.S. Small Business Administration has provided additional funding to the Missouri Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) to increase business support capacity. Designated in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the funding allows Missouri SBDC, a program of University of Missouri Extension, to expand services and partnerships to mitigate risks stemming from COVID-19.
Missouri SBDC, MU Extension agriculture and environment (A&E) specialists and MU Extension agricultural economists will combine expertise and resources to serve Missouri agriculture. The partnership will be formally known as the Missouri SBDC for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
Missouri SBDC and MU Extension A&E’s work will focus on assisting businesses with moving forward from the recent disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. From financial-management education to business-model pivots and value proposition identification, faculty across the state will provide assistance and access to resources to strengthen Missouri’s agricultural businesses.
Mallory Rahe, MU Extension educational director of agriculture business policy programs, says: “COVID-19 and the resulting national recession has accelerated economic disruption and the need for business adaptation. We are drawing widely across our extension experts to build a responsive team that can help producers and other business owners think about their options and make informed decisions.”
“Extension specialists’ local relationships and expertise, combined with the Missouri SBDC’s business knowledge and resources, can provide a powerful new level of services to agriculture businesses facing today’s challenges,” Missouri SBDC director of agricultural business services David Steffes said.
You can learn more at extension2.missouri.edu/programs/growing-agribusiness-sustainably/missouri-sbdc-for-agriculture-food-and-forestry.