The
history of St. Louis traces back to the fur traders and its
role in agriculture as a Heartland center for agribusiness.
Indeed, many of the major HQ companies in St. Louis have historical
roots in various segments of agriculture, such as Anheuser-Busch,
which uses a significant amount of agricultural products for
brewing beer, or Nestlé-Purina PetCare, an agribusiness leader
in the production of animal feed for pets and livestock.
This month’s issue of St. Louis Commerce Magazine takes
an even broader view of the impact that agribusiness throughout
the region has on the economy. Whether it is businesses directly
related to agriculture that have headquarters in St. Louis,
such as Monsanto or Bunge North America, or the bankers, lawyers
and marketers who support agribusiness—the economic impact of
agriculture on St. Louis is substantial.
Our cover story, by Jim Nicholson, analyzes the powerful economic
engine that drives much of the St. Louis region. The economic
impact of agriculture on St. Louis totals $23 billion, or 12
percent of the total economic output. Agribusiness also provides
the region with more than 330,000 jobs, accounting for 20 percent
of the regions workforce.
The range of agribusiness activity across the region runs the
gamut—from the role in beverage manufacturing to agricultural
inputs connected with the growing process, to pet food manufacturing
and food manufacturing. The emerging segment of alternative
fuels that uses various agricultural products is also starting
to have a substantial impact. Linda Jarrett pens a piece about
St. Louis emerging as hub for biofuel technology, and the potential
“Houston of biofuels.”
This month’s issue also examines agricultural processes and
operations from the ground, all the way to transportation and
packaging. Jim Baer writes about companies that move a myriad
of agriculture markets to market. Christine Imbs examines agriculture
education and Ruth Wood-Steed writes about nutriceuticals and
the role agriculture plays.
The St. Louis region is home to such significant enterprises
as the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center at Southern
Illinois University Edwardsville, which provides testing for
biofuels. The national headquarters of both the National Corn
Growers Association and the American Soybean Association are
also located in the St. Louis region.
Another major institution headquartered here in St. Louis is
the World Agriculture Forum, which will hold its biannual World
Congress here May 8-10th. It will bring 350 agriculture leaders
from around the globe to town, including CEOs of major corporations,
leaders in the non-governmental sector and ministers of agriculture.
Together they will focus on policy issues affecting agriculture
worldwide.
This month we are also pleased to have the perspectives of long-term
agriculture leader Charlie Kruse, president of the Missouri
Farm Bureau, a fourth generation farmer. He works closely with
his counterpart, Phil Nelson, at the Illinois Farm Bureau. Read
why Charlie considers farmers as risk takers. “The food on our
grocery shelves is a direct reflection of the risk our farmers
wake up and take every single day,” he says.
Speaking of grocery stores, we have an update this month on
City Grocers, which is expanding its pioneering grocery store
downtown. It will move down the street this fall to The Syndicate
Trust Building at 10th Street and Olive, part of an $85 million
mixed-use retail and housing development. City Grocers will
be the first retail tenant in the sixteen-story, mixed-used
renovation of this landmark building.
This month’s issue also explores healthcare. Brian Hook writes
about how companies are investing in healthcare. He also writes
about a just-completed Missouri Foundation for Health study
that shows that Missouri employers are providing health coverage
to employee’s working spouses, assuming additional costs of
$891 million. The study examines the economic impact of a phenomenon
often referred to as “free- riders” on the statewide business
community.
Our restaurant review picks up the theme of agriculture as well,
focusing on Riddles Penultimate Café and Wine Bar, which for
years has prided itself on the fact that it buys from local
farmers. The menu is planned around what fresh ingredients farmers
are able provide each day. The owner makes frequent trips to
local farmer’s markets.
And finally our spotlight this month focuses on the CEO of one
of the region’s agricultural companies, St. Louis-based Bunge
North America. Find out why Bunge CEO Carl Hausmann says it’s
important to look for a job in something you enjoy not something
that pays well.
We hope you enjoy reading this issue of St. Louis Commerce
Magazine. As always, please send your comments and suggestions
to us at dfleming@stlrcga.org.
RICHARD C.D. FLEMING
President and Chief Executive Officer
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association
