Agriculture in Missouri
ZIP codes in our Missouri data
USDA hardiness zones present
Agriculture is one of Missouri's largest industries and a defining part of daily life across much of the state. Missouri consistently ranks among the states with the most farms in the country, and many of them are small to mid-sized family operations. That mix of grain farming, cattle raising, and diverse specialty production gives growers and gardeners a wide range of local knowledge and markets to draw on.
Farming in Missouri
Row crops and livestock anchor Missouri farming. Soybeans and corn are the leading crops statewide, with wheat, grain sorghum, and hay grown widely, and cotton and rice concentrated in the flat, fertile Bootheel region of the southeast. Missouri is a major beef cattle state and ranks among the national leaders in the number of beef cows, alongside significant hog, poultry, and turkey production. The state also supports dairy, orchards, vineyards, and a growing base of vegetable and specialty growers who supply farmers markets and local outlets.
Climate and growing conditions
Missouri has a mostly humid continental climate in the north that shifts toward humid subtropical in the south, with four distinct seasons, warm to hot summers, and cold winters. The frost-free growing season generally runs from around mid-April to mid-October, lasting roughly 180 days in the north and 210 or more days in the southeast lowlands. USDA hardiness zones range from about 5b in the northern counties to 7a in the far southeastern Bootheel.
Major agricultural products
- Soybeans
- Corn
- Beef cattle
- Hogs
- Poultry and turkeys
- Hay and forage
- Rice and cotton (Bootheel region)
- Wheat and grain sorghum
Hardiness zones in Missouri
Growers in Missouri fall across these USDA plant hardiness zones (by number of ZIP codes in our data):
Local weather & frost dates in Missouri
Open any location for its live forecast, frost dates, and planting calendar:
Counties in Missouri
Browse local growing conditions, hardiness zones, and weather by county (115 counties):
Market prices & data for Missouri
- Frost dates across Missouri
- Hay prices in Missouri
- Grain cash bids in Missouri
- All USDA hardiness zones
State overviews combine hardiness-zone data from our ZIP database with public USDA market reports and NOAA climate normals. For farm-level decisions, consult your state's Cooperative Extension service. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.