Fulton and Callaway County lie at the center of Missouri and the nation’s crop producing area. With Missouri’s reputation as one of the leading states in agricultural crop production, our central location is strategically suited to the testing, production and management needs of pharmaceutical and agricultural companies conducting research and development in plant sciences. The proximity of the University of Missouri as a center for project basic research, combined with nearby field testing capability, makes this area especially appealing to new companies. The faculty and staff at the university offer an extensive knowledge base and expertise, including mid-Missouri’s soil and cropping histories, weather conditions, current cropping practices and communication link with the farming industry, to the challenge of adapting current practices in specialized crop production.

Experienced farmers in Callaway County and mid-Missouri are willing to adapt to special conditions for testing new crop opportunities. These progressive farmers are comfortable with the high-tech management tools that crop field research requires such as computer data programs, GPS/GIS systems installed for precision farming practices, and internet access to facilitate the transfer of data in electronic format. They are also capable of growing the broad array of crops that may be suitable for specialized product production on cropland that offers a broad array of soil types and conditions.

Also supporting this industry in mid-Missouri are several existing testing laboratories: