Heroes in the heartland

Recipients of the 2018 Missouri Leopold Conservation Award were John and Sandy Scherder along with their daughter and son-in-law, Holly and Curtis Delgman, of Frankford, Mo. Also pictured are the Delgmans’ children, Wyatt, Roxie and Bailey. Together they accomplish major conservation practices utilizing innovative seeding methods, cover crops and crop rotation.Missouri farmers, ranchers and other private landowners who voluntarily demonstrate outstanding stewardship and management of natural resources will have an opportunity to win a $10,000 award for their efforts.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 Missouri Leopold Conservation Award Program, recognizing those who make extraordinary achievements in voluntary conservation. Nominees will be evaluated on such criteria as conservation ethic, innovation, adaptability, resilience, leadership and communications.

The Sand County Foundation, a nonprofit conservation organization, presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 14 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In Missouri, the award was presented for the first time in 2017 in conjunction with Missouri Farmers Care and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. Previous winners of the Missouri Leopold Award are the Scherder family of Frankford in 2018 and the Lambert family of Laclede in 2017.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes those who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management on private, working land. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

“The Leopold Conservation Award highlights the great work of Missouri farmers, ranchers and foresters,” said Gary Marshall, chairman of Missouri Farmers Care. “These efforts are firmly rooted in enhancing the stewardship of farming and ranching operations. This program highlights farmers’ best practices and purpose to meet an ultimate goal: leaving the land in better shape for the next generation.”

Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. All applications must be submitted or postmarked by Friday, July 12. The application can be found online at mofarmerscare.com/leopold-conservation-award/. Email applications to MFC Outreach Coordinator, Kari Asbury, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mail to Missouri Farmers Care, 4481 Brown Station Road, Columbia, MO 65202. Finalists will be announced in November with the award presented in December 2019 or January 2020.
Tribute Kalm ‘N EZ is among the new line of premium horse feeds offered through MFA locations. This pelleted feed has low levels of non-structural carbohydrates and is formulated for all classes of mature horses. MFA will also be carrying three other Tribute equine products.Horse owners looking for premium equine feeds now have more choices from MFA.

Nationally recognized Tribute® Equine Nutrition has been added to the product lines at MFA Agri Services, AGChoice and local affiliates. Tribute Equine Nutrition products are manufactured by Kalmbach Feeds, a family-owned business based in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.

Although well known among professional equestrians, Tribute has only been widely sold east of the Mississippi River until now, said Mike Spidle, MFA Incorporated strategic feed specialist. This partnership will be Kalmbach’s first big push into MFA territory.

“We’re always looking for ways to add value for our customers, and Tribute is a name that’s recognized in the industry for top-of-the-line nutrition and outstanding results,” Spidle said. “Kalmbach’s ionophore-free manufacturing facility is impressive, and their feeds include prebiotics, probiotics and optimum levels of antioxidants—similar to what we’re doing with Shield Technology.”

MFA will carry Tribute Kalm ‘N EZ® Pellets for all classes of mature horses, Kalm Ultra® high-fat pelleted feed for mature horses, Seniority® complete feed for mature and senior horses and Essential K® supplement to balance rations for all horses including idle, breeding, growing and performance horses.

Tribute products have low levels of starch, sugar and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). Low NSC levels are beneficial for hyperactive or excitable horses or those that suffer from metabolic conditions such as insulin resistance, Cushing’s disease or laminitis.

Additionally, for customers who want Non-GMO Project Verified chicken feeds, MFA is now offering the Healthy Harvest® brand, also manufactured by Kalmbach. Included in the Healthy Harvest lineup are Starter Grower, Layer Crumbles and Layer Pellets. Spidle said these products are targeted to meet the needs of the discerning backyard poultry enthusiast.

“We’re excited to work with MFA because we share so many of the same values,” said Kalmbach Feeds’ Chief Learning Officer, Paul Kalmbach Jr., during an introductory presentation to MFA employees on March 28. “We believe in quality products that produce visible results for the animal and exceptional customer service for their owners. We work hard and do the right thing. We feel like there’s a good foundation for this relationship to be successful.”

His grandfather, Milton, a poultry nutritionist, established Kalmbach Feeds in 1963 with a small grind-and-mix mill that sold bulk feed by the truckload. Since then, the company has grown to be a regional leader in animal nutrition with six feed mills and 600 employees.

The Tribute Equine Nutrition brand was launched in 2007, and the Healthy Harvest brand debuted in 2017.

“Just like MFA, we’re working every day to deliver value to our customers by investing in research, technology and quality products that will help our customers succeed,” Kalmbach Jr. said. “We believe that people are the most important part of what we do; we have a great team, and I think it shows in what our company has been able to build.”

For more information on Tribute or Healthy Harvest products, talk with your local MFA feed experts or visit online at www.mfa-inc.com/Feed.
Missouri agriculture remains second in the number of farms in the U.S. with more than 95,000 farms on 27.8 million acres, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The data showcases the state’s unique foothold in agriculture commodity diversity and ability to bring home the next generation of agriculture’s workforce.

Results from the latest census data, published in April by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, shows that soybean, corn, cattle, poultry and hog production account for 88 percent of Missouri agricultural sales. Specialty crops also thrive in the Show-Me State, home to several growing agricultural sectors, including elderberries, honey production, mushrooms, sheep and goats, among others.

Since the 2012 census, the average age of the Missouri farmer increased by one year to 59.4 years. However, farms specializing in the livestock sectors of hogs, dairy and poultry showed a significantly younger average age. Hog farms are made up of 25 percent young farmers, defined as 35 years or less. Data also showed that 16 to 20 percent of producers on dairy, poultry, sheep and goat farms are young farmers.

The data also confirmed the need for better connectivity in rural Missouri. The census revealed that only 73 percent of farms have access to some form of internet. Missouri farms rely predominately on mobile, DSL and satellite connections to gather, analyze and use their agricultural data.

The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land—rural or urban—growing fruit, vegetables or some food animals count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year. Taken only once every five years, the census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. For additional details, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.
If you’d like to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial without making the trip to Washington, D.C., there’s a much closer option in Perryville, Mo. America’s Wall—a full-scale, exact replica of the D.C. memorial—will celebrate its grand opening May 18-19. Located on 45 acres of former farmland, the Missouri version of the wall is free to visit.Just in time for Memorial Day, the Missouri National Veterans Memorial in Perryville, Mo., will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19.

Dedicated to honoring all U.S. soldiers and their families, the site’s centerpiece is “America’s Wall,” a full-scale black granite replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. With every detail painstakingly reproduced, the Show-Me State’s version of the wall is located on 45 acres of farmland donated by Vietnam War veteran and local resident Jim Eddleman and his wife, Charlene.

The wall was completed last fall, and the grand opening celebration will commemorate work that has already been accomplished at the site and lay the groundwork for future projects, which include an event space, reflecting fountain, cemetery and more. Gov. Mike Parson is scheduled to be part of Saturday’s ceremony, which begins with a Huey helicopter flyover at 9:45. On Sunday, a worship service begins at 10 a.m. and includes NFL Hall of Fame inductee Jackie Smith, who will sing the national anthem.

The Missouri National Veterans Memorial is located north of Perryville off Highway 61 at 1172 Veterans Memorial Parkway. Admission is free, although donations are encouraged to help support the nonprofit organization. For more information, call 573-547- 2035 or visit www.mnvmfund.org.
The MFA Incorporated Board of Directors has two new members after district meetings and elections were held in the last week of February.

Jim Novinger of Kirksville, Mo., was elected to represent District 3. He and his wife, Lanna, have a son and a daughter, and run a diversified row-crop, beef cattle and feedlot operation. Novinger replaces outgoing director John Moffitt of Kirksville, whose term ended in March.

“MFA has been part of my family’s operation since I was a kid, and I want to see it succeed,” Novinger said. “It’s important that we look for ways to keep something local to provide the services and products we farmers need. I don’t like to do things halfway. I’ll put my whole heart into being an MFA director and use what almost 40 years of hard knocks has taught me to do what I can for the co-op.”

Steve Stumpe was elected as the new director for District 10, filling the position vacated by Tim Engemann of Hermann. Stumpe and his wife, Cathy, have two daughters and a son and raise beef cattle and hay on their farm in Leslie, Mo.

“The rate of change in agriculture is not going to slow down; it’s only going to get faster,” Stumpe said. “That’s our challenge. Can we accept technology and make changes that are positive for us as producers and positive for MFA as a company? I believe MFA has been on that track, and no other company in the state of Missouri is set up to handle those changes and deliver the technology to us.”

Also re-elected to their positions on the MFA board were Tom Dent, District 2, and Doyle Oehl, District 14. Members of the corporate board are eligible to serve three-year terms and are limited to four consecutive terms. Operating under those rules means that three more of the 14 members will leave the board due to term limits by March 2020.

In addition to elections, the February meetings in each of MFA’s 14 districts gave farmer-owners a chance to learn about the cooperative’s financial progress, hear from management and operating divisions and get updated on highlights from their respective regions.
This is the first in a series of interviews with MFA Incorporated’s board of directors to help members get to better know their cooperative’s leadership. In this edition, we’re featuring our two outgoing directors, John Moffitt and Tim Engemann, who reached their term limits in March after serving 12 years on the board.

1. When you look at MFA’s values statement, which one means the most to you and why?

Moffitt: Each of the listed value statements has a degree of importance for the MFA organization to operate as a system. To me, honesty and integrity have to be at the top of the list for a sustainable business. I feel that if honesty and integrity are where they should be, then personal accountability will fall in place with most business decisions made for the long-term success of the organization in mind.

Engemann: To me, MFA has always been a company you can trust. If they don’t have the right person to answer your question, they will always find somebody to help. And I always feel like you can trust the answer they give you.

2. What opportunities and challenges do the new MFA directors face?

Moffitt: New directors have a unique opportunity to bring fresh insight to MFA based on their farming and business experiences. They will likely be challenged to become familiar with the financial reporting, including the complexities of the various business partnerships and divisions within the whole MFA organization.

Engemann: As farms get bigger, one of our biggest challenges is going to be customer retention. Producers are going to expect more from a service company like MFA. They’re not going to come in and find what they need; we are going to have to go to the customer to find out what they need.

3. What would you say is MFA’s greatest achievement during your time on the board?

Moffitt: I was very proud to be a part of MFA celebrating 100 years in business while I was a member of the board. In addition, MFA continues to evolve with technology to bring new and improved services to its patrons.

Engemann: When I came on the board, I didn’t see near the transparency that I do today. There’s a lot more open conversation about how to do things and how to accomplish things. Nobody’s afraid to admit failure. That’s important, because you can’t fix something if you don’t know what the problem was to begin with.

4. How can MFA help our members through these challenging times in agriculture?

Moffitt: The most important role for MFA to help members in agriculture any time is to “be there.” Be there in business with the basic philosophy for which it was first organized: consolidating purchasing and marketing power to assist its farmer-members in having more profitable operations.

Engemann: If your service industry has your back and helps you ride out the storm, you’re going to keep doing business with that service industry. If they’re not in the forefront, people don’t have the respect to keep doing business there. That’s going to be No. 1 for MFA: open communication with our members and support for what they need during these challenging times.

5. What did you learn about MFA during your tenure as director that you might not have learned without the closer involvement?

Moffitt: MFA Incorporated is a large organization that sells in both retail and wholesale markets. Virtually all fertilizer is imported to Missouri from other states or from outside the U.S. Sourcing these inputs requires a lot of lead time with implications on everything from pricing, to transportation to MFA facilities, and finally to applying product to the soil. And in the end, weather can drastically influence the amount demanded by end users and the time frame for delivery.

Engemann: I learned that there are a lot of great ways of doing business than just the ways that we’ve done in our local environment. I was a young director when I came on the board and somewhat naïve about local versus statewide governance. At first, I thought I was just going to represent the things that my district might need. But I learned that it’s not just about them. It’s about the best path that all of us directors can take to make MFA a super great company as a whole. You’ve got to weigh your options. The board has been divided at times, but at the end of the day we were unanimously on the same page to do what’s right for the future of this company.