Services to Missouri Exporters
Here's what the Missouri Department of Agriculture can do for Missouri farmers, food processors, agricultural businesses and forest product companies.
- Missouri's International Offices - Firms and farms are encouraged to take advantage of Missouri's international trade offices in China, Europe, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Taiwan.
- Dollars - We can help find financial assistance for international marketing activities available to food processors and livestock genetic producers. The Market Access Program (MAP) is a USDA-sponsored reimbursement program for approved international promotional activities. The program focuses on small-and medium-sized processed food, food ingredients, pet food, and animal feed ingredient exporters. For further information, please contact Mark.Hitt@mda.mo.gov.
- Export Consultation - We provide one-on-one consultations and export seminars.
- Export Directory - Our International Marketing Program publishes a Missouri Agricultural Export Directory, listing Missouri exporters.
- Export Documentation - Our office can provide your company with Certificates of Free Sale and assist with other documents required by the importing country. More information on Certificates of Free Sale is available on this page below.
- Finding Buyers - We often bring international buyers to Missouri to acquaint them with producers and their products. Our staff also organizes international trade missions.
- Trade Leads - Our staff will forward trade leads to appropriate Missouri companies.
- Trade Shows - We offer booth space to Missouri firms at international trade shows.
- Memberships - We are members of the American Hardwood Export Council, Softwood Export Council, Food Export Association of the Midwest and the United States Livestock Genetic Export (USLGE).
For further information contact the Business Development Program.
Certificates of Free Sale
The Missouri Department of Agriculture is pleased that we can continue to provide Certificates of Free Sale at no cost to Missouri-based companies and Missouri manufacturing plants. We will continue our policy of preparing these documents within three working days.
Request Procedure
In order to make certain that we can expedite your certificate request, we ask that you fax your request on your company letterhead to the attention of Shelley Haslag, Ag Business Development Division at fax number (573) 751-2868, or by e-mail at abd@mda.mo.gov and include the following information:
- Full name and location of Missouri company headquarters;
- Full name and location of company requesting document (if different than #1) plus a contact person and contact number;
- City in which the Missouri manufacturing facility is located;
- Plant location (if outside of Missouri);
- Brand name of product shipped, or name used on carton/label;
- Brief explanation of product if technical in nature (i.e., "a food ingredient" or "an animal vaccine");
- Country of destination;
- Approximate Cost, Insurance and Freight value or value of shipment at foreign port; Indicate full value of shipment - not amount per item shipped (i.e. $955.00 value of shipment); *
- To whom to return the certificate, i.e., "to our freight forwarder/importer," to the attention of "x", etc.;
- Manner of returning the certificate, i.e., via U.S. mail, via courier service (utilizing your account number), faxed copy, etc.;
* The shipment’s value is not required to process your request but enables us to monitor the value or our service.
Thank you for your cooperation and allowing us to better serve you. If you have any questions concerning this procedure, please contact me at (573) 751-4339 or by e-mail at abd@mda.mo.gov.
