[ST. LOUIS, MO. Aug. 1, 2025] The St. Louis region is home to name brands such as Purina, AB InBev, Post and Tyson Foods, in part due to Missouri and Illinois’s rich environment with booming nearby connections in the heart of the country. Currently, 50% of all U.S. crops are produced within a 500-mile radius—or a day’s drive—of St. Louis. Investments continue to grow and strengthen the food and manufacturing industry in the bi-state area. 

 

American Food Group’s new facility in Wright City is a strong example of how leading institutions utilize location to help drive business and lead the brand towards success. Their beef processing plant is strategically located along I-70, accelerating the process of shipping, creating jobs for around 1,300 people and resulting in an estimated regional impact of $1 billion. 

 

“It really is a great location. It provides good opportunity to serve our customers and expand as that becomes an opportunity,” said Scott Willert, president of America’s Service Line & America’s Logistics. 

 

Other Ag Tech & Food companies, such as Performance Food Group, Inc., are also currently investing in new facilities. In Ferguson, Missouri, the brand is spending $120 million and adding 100 new jobs.  

 

AB InBev announced in October that they too will be investing $8 million into their flagship brewery of St. Louis. They hope to create and sustain jobs, drive the economy and give back to the town where the brand began.  

 

“Our continued investments in our St. Louis brewery benefit not only our local team, but also our hometown, which continues to be a core part of our identity after more than 165 years,” CEO of Anheuser-Busch, Brendan Whitworth said. 

 

On the Illinois side, Tyson Foods announced a $180 million expansion, which will result in 400 jobs being created in addition to the 300 existing positions. Their location in Caseyville, Illinois strengthens the bi-state region’s roots as a food and manufacturing powerhouse. 

 

Along the Mississippi River are barges, trains and bridges linking the Midwest across the country. Known for its strong presence in the freight industry and accessibility to the remainder of the U.S., the 15-mile section along the St. Louis region is often referred to as The Ag Coast of America. Its 16 barge transfer facilities have the highest level of barge-handling capacity anywhere along the river.  

 

Overlapping this role near St. Louis is the Ag Tech ecosystem. It consists of independent startups and large-scale corporations all woven together to make farming smarter with technology. With its proximity to the heart of America and its accessibility to natural goods, the industry’s strength sets the St. Louis Region apart from competing business ventures across the country.  

 

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a leading research institution and part of this major hub. Over 1,000 plant scientists work in the St. Louis region– one of the highest concentrations of plant scientists in the world. 

 

“St. Louis’s region provides the perfect backdrop for Ag Tech and Food sectors. The Midwest’s rich agricultural opportunities with both desirable location and attractive network solidify it as a sought-after destination for food manufacturing and distribution alike,” Mary Lamie said. Lamie is the Head of the St. Louis Regional Freightway and Executive Vice President of Multimodal Enterprises for Bi-State Development. 

 

Sub-sectors of Food & Ag Tech include markets for animal food, bakery items, textiles and more. These smaller groups contribute to the advancement of the industry and consistently work together to research, network and build success.  

 

When it comes to collaboration and innovation, there is $142 million appropriated for new federal commercialization grants. Numbers such as 400 Biotech R&D companies and $87 million in National Institutes of Health startup grants prove the inspiring transformation companies can have on the sector. 

 

The Ag Tech & Food sector is one of four main targeted industries the St. Louis Region has notable competitive advantage in. The other markets are Metals, Chemicals and Advanced Manufacturing. Together, these benefits provided by these industries help keep the Ag Coast of America strong while supporting its critical role as a global logistics hub. 

 

About St. Louis Regional Freightway   
A Bi-State Development enterprise, the St. Louis Regional Freightway is a regional freight district and comprehensive authority for freight operations and opportunities within eight counties in southwestern Illinois and eastern Missouri, which comprise the St. Louis metropolitan area. Public sector and private industry businesses are partnering with the St. Louis Regional Freightway to establish the bi-state region as one of the premier multimodal freight hubs and distribution centers in the United States through marketing and advocacy for infrastructure development that supports the movement of freight. To learn more, visit thefreightway.com.  

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