In 2022, Castor River Farms, located in Dexter, Missouri, participated in Food Export-Midwest’s Branded Program to expand brand awareness of their premium long grain rice products. They used their Branded Program funds in to help offset their costs of exhibiting at the Natural Products Expo East Show.

With their participation Castor River Farms received international interest for their high quality, Missouri grown long-grain rice and with their allocated Branded Program funds, they were able to pursue activities that led them to meet new international buyers. The Missouri company also reported gaining $138,548 in new export sales and project to complete $250,000 in sales over the next twelve months.

Castor River Farms is a family-owned and operated farm in Southeast Missouri’s Delta Region with a focus on nurturing rich, healthy soil to produce rich, healthy crops year after year. They are dedicated to freshness, sustainability and quality products that are nutritious, great tasting and anything-but-ordinary. Each bag of rice is packed with care to ensure that only the best makes it to your table.

The Missouri supplier has participated in the Market Access Program funded Food Export-Midwest Branded Program since 2019. They have also attended Buyers Missions, webinars, and participate in the Online Product Catalog.

Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.