Missourians planning to share their best shots in the Missouri Department of Agriculture's 3rd Focus on Missouri Agriculture Photo & Video Contest have an extra few weeks to visit mda.mo.gov and get their photos entered. The opportunity for Missourians to capture and share their agricultural stories through Focus on Missouri Agriculture has been extended to July 6.

"The photo contest allows Missourians to share their favorite moments on their farms, at farmers' markets and everywhere else they connect with agriculture with others who share a love for agriculture and those who want to learn more about life on the farm," said Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler. "Every farm in our state has a story to tell and photos are a great way to tell those stories."

The contest, which will runs through July 6, asks amateur photographers from all over the state to submit their best shots of a beautiful Missouri farm, from a snapshot of a farm tractor that has been in the family for years to a video of the fun and excitement of a child experiencing agritourism. Visitors to the Missouri State Fair will have the opportunity to view some of the entries, the best of which will be recognized and displayed in the Agriculture Building during the Missouri State Fair Aug. 9-19 in Sedalia.

The photo contest is open to all amateur photographers. Participants may enter up to three images in each of the five photo categories and two videos in each of those three categories. Photo categories are: The Beauty of the Farm, Faces of the Farm, The Farming Life, The Pride of the Farm and Children's Barnyard. Video categories are: Stories of Years Gone By, Humorous Farm Stories and Farm Safety, in which videographers create 30-second public service announcements on the importance of safety on the farm.

The Children's Barnyard category is open only to photographers age 12 and under.

Entries will be judged on visual impact, creativity, memorable content and image quality.

The single image and video selected as the judge's favorites overall will each receive a $500 gift basket as the Best of Show winner. Winners in each of the eight categories will receive a $200 AgriMissouri gift basket, including best-selling treats from the AgriMissouri Market and products and gift certificates from AgriMissouri members across the state. The second-place winner in each category will receive a $100 AgriMissouri gift. Winners will be announced at the 2012 Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Aug. 9-19 and will be displayed during the State Fair in the Agriculture Building.

For a complete list of rules and guidelines, visit http://mda.mo.gov/focus/. Photos and videos submitted to the contest will be placed on the contest website and available on the Department's Flickr group and YouTube page. Photos must be submitted by July 6 for this year's contest.

More information about the Missouri Department of Agriculture and its programs is available online at http://www.mda.mo.gov and http://www.mo.gov.