Professional background
Jennifer Lutes is a Field Specialist in Agricultural Business & Policy with University of Missouri Extension. Based in McDonald County, she serves the Southwest Missouri region and collaborates across the state on projects that strengthen farm businesses, value-added enterprises, and local food systems. With more than a decade of experience, Jennifer specializes in enterprise planning, financial analysis, and producer education. She frequently works with agricultural organizations and industry partners to deliver research-based resources that meet the needs of farmers and agribusinesses.
Jennifer holds an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arkansas, a B.S. in Poultry Science with a minor in Agricultural Business, and both an A.A. in Agriculture and an A.S. in Livestock Production from Crowder College. This academic background provides a strong foundation in agricultural sciences, economics, and applied farm management, which she brings directly into her Extension programming.
Areas of work
Jennifer’s Extension work centers on helping producers strengthen their businesses through value-added opportunities, economic analysis, and sound farm management. She is committed to equipping farmers with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions that improve profitability and reduce risk. Her current emphasis includes:
- Value-Added Farm Products – Helping producers evaluate feasibility, processing options, labeling, and regulatory compliance to enhance profitability and connect farms directly to consumers.
- Sheep & Goat Farm Management & Economics – Developing enterprise budgets, benchmarking tools, market outlooks, and economic comparisons that enable producers to evaluate alternatives and make profitable production decisions.
- Farm Business Management – Delivering applied training and resources on whole-farm planning, financial analysis, and economic comparisons across enterprises and cost structures to support sound financial decisions and risk management in production, marketing, legal, and human areas.
Through a combination of applied research, producer surveys, and statewide programming, Jennifer develops educational resources that help farmers explore new opportunities while managing risks.
Related programs
Counties served
