39° North Master Plan

The Master Plan broadens the St. Louis area’s world-wide leadership in AgTech with a dynamic innovation district to drive leading-edge research in food, water and energy.

St. Louis County in conjunction with the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (SLEDP) is committed to allocate resources and talent to grow the plant science and AgTech sector. The incredible talent we have in the St. Louis region draws companies in the agricultural sector from across the country and the world. In the past few years, the St. Louis region has had several major corporate investments in the AgTech sector.

Bunge North America, a leading agribusiness and food company, is adding 280 new jobs to the existing 550 here in St. Louis County with plans to construct a brand new $70 million headquarters in the region. In Chesterfield, Monsanto is constructing a $500 million Research Campus and Rabobank Group is adding 200 new jobs and a new building. KWS SAAT SE, a German seed producer, opened its North American headquarters within the District at BRDG Park.

The Master Plan is a result of a $500,000 federal innovation grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The highly-competitive selection process to secure the grant is a testament to the momentum behind the continued growth of the region’s AgTech assets. This grant allowed us to embark on a planning process that produced a visionary plan for the District based on urban planning guidelines driven by community engagement. It includes a new name and identity for the district and an implementation strategy to realize the vision.

39° North is an integral part of a broader AgTech corridor. We see the corridor extending from the Missouri Botanical Garden, to the Danforth Plant Science Center in Creve Coeur and all the way to the University of Missouri’s renowned school of agriculture in Columbia, Mo. The future for plant science and AgTech in the St. Louis region is strong, and we are confident that the district will attract the finest companies and the brightest minds in AgTech.