• Home
  • In the magazine

Feature

2023 MFA Foundation Scholarship Program

IShieldTassnvesting in youth education is truly an investment in agriculture. The MFA Foundation Scholarship Program is a prime example of that commitment. Established in 1958, the Foundation is a nonprofit, philanthropic organization with the primary purpose of advancing educational opportunities for high school seniors in MFA’s trade territory. Since 1965, the Foundation’s principal mission has been awarding MFA Foundation scholarships, giving financial assistance to more than 15,000 students, totaling more than $17 million. 

In an increasingly complex world, education and technical training become important tools for today’s young people to flourish. The MFA Foundation scholarships are intended to help students pursue studies and develop careers that enhance the future of rural America. These scholarships are offered to high school seniors who are children or grandchildren (including step-children or step-grandchildren) of member-level customers of MFA Agri Services Centers, MFA Oil Company bulk plants or propane plants, or qualified customers of other MFA affiliate locations. The scholarships are $2,000 each and may be used at any college or university. Eligible high school seniors are encouraged to apply online at www.mfafoundation.com.

This year, 274 high school seniors received scholarships worth a total of $548,000, co-sponsored by the MFA Foundation and MFA locations.
Throughout its history, MFA has continually endeavored to make a difference in our communities. One of the best ways to positively impact the future is to cultivate the next crop of agricultural leaders, and these scholarships are one way MFA is fulfilling that mission.

Here are this year's winners of the 2023 MFA Foundation Scholarships:

Noelle Marie Abend, Rich Hill
Lacee Nicole Abner, Hamilton
Lacey R. Allen, Reeds
Derek Wyatt Alms, Gainesville
Rachel Kathleen Ancell, Macon
Emily Anderson, Warrensburg
Chelsey Nicole Andrus, Ash Grove
Cali Alexis Arnold, Humeston, IA
Dylan J. Aufdenberg, Burfordville
Abigail May Bachura, Alta Vista, KS
Emma J. Baepler, Jamestown
Aislynn Denise Baker, Atlanta
MacKenzie Dawn Baker, Kirksville
Riley M. Baker, Parma
1Carson L. Ball, Bruner
Ethan Charles Ball, Lamar
Rachel Marie Baretich, Bland
Jonathan M. Bax, Eldon
Ryce Caden Bennett, Clarendon, AR
Kahl Justice Berry, Bolivar
Isaac Robert Bird, Gallatin
Tate Levi Boles, Marshfield
Jacob Louis Boone, King City
Braden William Booth, Fair Grove
Hunter James Boots, Moberly
Tyler Robert Borgmeyer, Fulton
Lily G. Boschert, O'Fallon
Trey Brakensiek, Wright City
Garrett Mason Bray, Maysville
Bailey Nicole Brewer, Oak Ridge
Wyatt Tony Bridgeman, Owensville
Maggie Jo Brockmeier, Hale
Blaine Xander Brodersen, Florence
Darcy Lee Broglin, Holcomb
Ali Marie Brown, Grant City
Makenna Lynn Broyles, Olpe, KS
Breckyn RaeAnn Brummett, Lockwood
Ella D. Bruno, Macon
Kirstin Kimberly Buck, Nevada
Cole William Burch, Walker
Brady Beau Burgess, Richmond
Rafe Jeffery Byassee, East Prairie
Lindsay Byrd, Sikeston Claire
Jane Carpenter, Millerton, IA
Sarah Jo Chesnut, Stark
Madelyn Chiarottino, Bevier
Erin Lee Clouse, Ava
Samuel Allen Coin, Pattonsburg
Destiny Collins, Novinger
Clay Allen Cook, Shelbyville
Tucker James Cox, Martinsburg
Alex Brayden Criswell, Hartsburg
Elizabeth Nicole Crocker, Ashland
Lily Grace Crosson, Eolia
Ryan Allen Cruse, Salisbury
Peter Garrett Dampf, California
Emma Daniels, Hornersville
Cameron James Davis, Appleton City
Ryan Matthew Davis, Lamar
Weston Shawn Deering, King City
Harper Starr DeMoss, Columbia
Samuel Joel Derks, King City
Mikayla Dawn Dibben, Junction City, KS
Gracie Jo Dickson, Milan
Martin Gregory Dieckmann, Sibley
Jackson Edward Dill, Marshfield
Hayden Joseph Dixon, Caotsville
Logan M. Dove, Green Ridge
Emmalee Ann Drebes, Palmyra
Gentry Duncan, Centertown
Allison Kaye Dunwoody, Moberly
Lydia Kay Eaton, Harrisburg
Kyle Dale Eckhoff, Lincoln
Gracyn Lyn Eifert, Cole Camp
Daci Re’Ann Elbrader, Frontenac, KS
Sidney L. Engelmeyer, Iberia
Lily Rae Falconer, Linneus
Hannah E. Fehring, Neosho
MaKenzie Marie Felten, Fayette
Gavin Cooper Ferguson, Willow Springs
Erin Christine Fick, Freeburg
Jocelyn Marie Finley, Gardner, KS
Cash C. Fisher, Dunnegan
Brooklyn Foreman, Walker
Lance Gregory Fort, Martinsburg
Harrison Benjamin Fowler, Hallsville
Mauriana Elizabeth Frame, New Hampton
Lillianne Grace Franklin, Perryville
John Clayton Frazier, Lebanon
Ian Blaise Freiburger, Verona
Collin Joseph Fritsch, Sainte Genevieve
Abigail Rose Fry, Mountain Grove
Tori Dawn Fuemmeler, Armstrong
Braeden William Fuller, La Plata
Billi Jacqueline Galliher, California
Samantha Michelle Gallivan, Half Way
Mason W. Gibson, Reading, KS
Jenny Hope Glueck, Chaffee
Madison Michelle Haley, Queen City
Ryan Michael Hall, Novelty
River L. Hamaker, Leon, IA
Parker Evan Hammond, Meadville Clay
Alan Hanson, Graham
Marissa Harkey, Sedalia
Kyla Breanne Harms, Mora
Jaxon Andrew Harper, Tina
Kayley Anne Hauber, Grant City
Alli Jo Mae Hayes, Monett
Brayden C. Headrick, Salem
Natalie Elizabeth Hedlund, Fairfax
Marissa Ann Heins, Concordia
Clayton Heinze, Kahoka
Maggie Elaine Hickman, Princeton
Audrey Katherine Higgins, Deepwater
Kade Newton Hodge, New Hampton
Harleigh Jane Hodges, Taneyville
Samuel Peyton Hodges, New Madrid
Larissa Hoelmer, Hermann
Konnor Neil Hoerrmann, Browning
Trey Austin Hoffman, Archie
Gracie Renae Holcomb, Albany
Wendell Louis Hoskins, Steele
Anisten Evelyn Houghton, Hamilton
Garrett Edward Hundley, Boonville
Taryn Elizabeth Hunter, King City
Benjamin Dean Ipock, Winona
Lane Charles Irwin, St. Elizabeth
Gavin Lee Isch, Gridley, KS
Owen Thomas Ives, Cole Camp
Kaycie Lynn Jackson, New Boston
Mara Jensen, Vandalia
Matthew Paul Jermain, Conception Jct.
Levi Johnson, Trenton
McClane D. Johnson, Savannah
Breanna Charli Jo Kellum, Grovespring
Ava Deann Kemper, Hawk Point
Elsie Elaine Kigar, Greentop
Kaden Kinsler, Elsberry
Lane C. Klein, Versailles
Mason John Kliethermes, Loose Creek
Dylan Joseph Koenigsfeld, Morrison
Andrea Suzanne Korte, Bowling Green
Emma Kraenzle, Ste. Genevieve
Jewley Annette Kraus, Memphis
Brooks Dean Kreisel, Concordia
Marci Marie Lammers, Pilot Grove
Mason Wayne Lampkin, Hermann
Lindsey Faith Lancaster, Malden
Brody Langfitt, Gilman City
Ben Robert Lause, Washingtom
Truman Lee Ledbetter, El Dorado Springs
Austin Scott Lee, Lee's Summit
Daniel Dean Lesher, Tarkio
Braden Lee Lichtenberg, Brookfield
Jacob William Licklider, St. Clair
Peter Joseph Littlefield, Exeter
Caleb David Lucas, Rock Port
Bailee Jo Luttrell, Ellington
Shayla Kay Lynn, Cross
Timbers Rhease Danyelle Manier, Houston
Justus Blaine Martin, Fulton
Skylur Emil Mashek, Richards
Harlee Maxwell, Walnut Grove
Lauren Elizabeth McIntyre, Ravenwood
Aliciah Marie Mefford, Moberly
Joslynn Mae Mefford, Clarence
Oliver Midyett, Salem
Shane Charles Minor, Pleasant Hill
Ellie Rian Mitchell, Dadeville
Reid Monsees, Alma
Macie Jean Morris, Butler
Ryleigh Rae Morris, Walnut Grove
Hailey Elizabeth Morton, Macomb
Mallory Morton, Ash Grove
Owen Abraham Neely, South Greenfield
Avery Lynn Neidholdt, Keytesville
Kiera R. Neighbors, Troy
Allison Marie Newman, Slater
Jeret Nichols, Pleasanton, KS
Trey Matthew Noakes, Lowry
Corbin Odle, Pomona
Keaton Odle, Pleasant Hill
Olivia DeLora Oerly, Jamestown
Austin Marcus Orth, Centralia
Cameron Lee Oswald, Fairfax
Noah Ryan Oswald, Mound City
Abigail Leigh Overshon, Dixon
Taylor Jax Palenske, Strong City, KS
Adelynn Grace Palmer, Center
Hunter Parris, Kingsville
Mia Elizabeth Pemberton, Parsons, KS
Audrey Mae Peterson, Elkland
Chloe Ann Petree, Bunceton
Griffin Mark Phillps, Farmington
Tanner Hall Pierce, Kennett
Ashlynn Danielle Presley, Malden
Zoe Jane Priggel, Portageville
Ashley Louise Rankin, Bedford, IA
Ayren Mariah Rapp, Schell City
Ryan Rauh, Perryville
Olivia Dawn Reed, Washington
Andrew Ross Rhoades, Princeton
Hannah Nicole Rice, Brunswick
Danielle Marie Riedel, Pickering
Rebekah Reagan Riffle, Garden City
Dylan Robertson, Platte City
Tucker Cahill Robnett, Laddonia
Taylor Willows Rode, Fair Grove
Benjamin Nathan Roehrig, Washington
Gabrielle Ruth Rohrbach, California
Aliyah Renee Rojas, Gideon
Audrey Marie Ross, Center
Kadie Lynn Rounkles, Tina
Grayden Ely Rowbotham, Gainesville
Molly Rushing, Sparta
Helen Addyson Salmon, Franklin
Ruby Schmidt, Carrollton
Brooklyn Riley Schrag, Farmington
Makena Ray Scott, Marlow, OK
Molly Elizabeth Scott, Wellsville
Kylie D. Scrivner, Ava
Abigail Nicole Shaffer, Moscow Mills
Jenna Shanks, Centerview
Libby R. Shaver, Grovespring
Bradley Allen Shaw, Stoutland
Ebanie Ann Shaw, Windsor
Blake D. Shelton, Conway
Chase Simmons, Unionville
Ahna Sinclair, Montgomery
City Ashley Renee Sjostrand, Hartsburg
Cali Jo Smith, Success
Lillian Frances Smith, Bolckow
Rylan Cooper Snodgrass, Beaufort
Ashley Lauren Spry, Edwards
Katelyn Michelle Stoll, Stanberry
Carsyn Elizabeth Swain, Cape Girardeau
Avery Edson Tallman, Glenwood
Hailee Jo Tarpening, Marceline
Brunson Tenholder, Adrian
Drake A. Thompson, Lexington
Emma Carmen Thompson, Laredo
Brecca Claire Thornill, Clark
Zoe Renae Thornton, Noel
Frank Todaro, Holden
Gabriel Richard Todd, Mountain Grove
Jori Leigh Todd, Seneca
Kennedy Nicole Travis, Saint Clair
James Jathan Ungles, Skidmore
Aidan Lee Vaught, Crane
Ainsley Nicole Viets, Girard, KS
DeLana Brooke Vogelsmeier, Sweet Springs
Kylin Elaine Wagner, Sarcoxie
Lily Opal Wagner, Vienna
Ava Marie Walker, Kirksville
Mary Grace Warden, Bolivar
Eli L. Warren, Ludlow
Gracie Marie Waterman, Lebanon
Rylee Paige Watson, Monroe City
James Brendan Weaver, Marshall
Madeline Rose Weber, Saint Charles
Abby Dayle Welch, Bolivar
Presley A. Wells, Jamesport
Bryson John Wessing, Boonville
Alaina Whittington, Diagonal, IA
Kiser Kelc Wiatrak, Saint Paul, KS
Emily Paige Willman, St. Clair
Joshua Caleb Wilson, Bunch, OK
Caden D. Winters, Sioux City, IA
Jaidyn Renee Wood, Independence
Olivia Wooden, Dawn
Cooper David Wright, Ozark
Autumn Lynn Young, Koshkonong
Hannah G. Youngblood, Berryville, AR
Corbin Dale Zimmerschied, Sweet Springs

All towns are Missouri unless otherwise noted.

Visit the flip book of this issue to view the issue as printed with photos of winners, Click Here.

CLICK HERE to read more articles from this August/September 2023 issue of Today's Farmer Magazine.

  • Created on .
  • Hits: 428

Creating a buzz about pollinators

Workshop educates farmers, landowners on native habitat management

Gathering farmers and landowners together to create a buzz about the benefits of pollinator plots was the goal of a recent field day sponsored by the Missouri Soybean Association in Columbia.

Emily Beck, MFA’s natural resources conservation specialist, was among presenters at the Pollinator Workshop, held June 20 at the Bay Research Farm, a nearly 300-acre operation that facilitates research, business and market development and educational programs for the Soybean Association. Other speakers at the event represented the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri Prairie Foundation. Sessions covered topics such as converting unproductive farmland, grazing native grasses, maximizing pollinator benefits in cover crops and taking advantage of cost-share opportunities.

“Here at Bay Farm, we prioritize any sort of research that is going to benefit the Missouri soybean farmer,” said Brady Lichtenberg, Missouri Soybean conservation programs manager, as he welcomed workshop attendees. “We enjoy doing events like this as well as habitat management to make the farm a little bit more wildlife friendly in areas that can’t be used for research.”

Native habitat management is an important topic as the numbers of critical pollinators such as bees, bats and butterflies decline to alarming lows. According to the USDA, more than 150 food crops in the U.S., including nearly all fruit and grain, depend on pollinators. To reverse the negative trend, government and businesses are relying heavily on farmers and landowners to embrace conservation practices such as planting pollinator plots, which consist of a diverse mix of native grasses and wildflowers.

During the pollinator workshop, Lichtenberg teamed up with MFA’s Beck to show attendees an example of an “edge-of-field” plot, a practice in which the borders of crop fields are intentionally managed to increase plant diversity.

“We’re not going to say take all of your best land and plant it to natives. That would not be a good business decision,” Lichtenberg said. “But we can take some of the less-profitable areas—the odds and ends, waterways and places that are hard to access with larger equipment—and turn those portions of the property into native areas that are going to be wildlife friendly, and specifically pollinator friendly. Pollinator plots offer other ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water filtration, nutrient management and erosion prevention. There are countless benefits to the environment with something as simple as pollinator plots.”

For her part of the presentation, Beck emphasized that, in addition to these benefits, using lower-yielding areas for pollinator plots can positively impact the farmer’s bottom line. She illustrated her point with a precision yield map generated through MFA’s Nutri-Track program.

“We are the Show-Me State. So, this map shows you how these practices can be applied on the farm and where they should be applied,” Beck explained. “When I think of low-yielding areas, I think of input costs. How many times are you using your equipment on that field? How much money are you using for fertilizers, herbicides, different things like that? With these maps, we can see where plots would be best utilized. We aren’t just doing this for the butterflies. You’re taking ground that is not making you a whole lot of money and turning it around to benefit your farm.”

Monetary benefits can come in the form of state and federal cost-share assistance, incentives and technical help to implement habitat improvement projects, said Ryan Lueckenhoff, Missouri Department of Conservation private land conservationist. Choosing the best program to pursue, however, is based on many different factors.

“It depends on the landowner. It depends on the land use. It depends on your goals and objectives. It depends on how many acres we’re dealing with and the time frame that you want to get this completed,” he said. “The best thing is to work with somebody who can help you make those decisions, whether that’s the Missouri Department of Conservation, MFA, the Soybean Association, or our partners with NRCS, Quail Forever and Ducks Unlimited. There are people out there who will provide the information and technical assistance you need.”

For more information on these opportunities and how MFA can assist farmers and landowners in increasing pollinator plots, contact Emily Beck at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CLICK HERE to read more articles from this August/September 2023 issue of Today's Farmer Magazine.

  • Created on .
  • Hits: 168

In this August/September Today's Farmer magazine

  • Created on .
  • Hits: 315

Ready when you are



Prepare grain bins now for insect-free storage later

Insects such as the lesser grain borer, rice weevil and flour beetle may only be about 3 millimeters long, but these small pests can cause big problems when it comes to storing harvested crops. Infestations can cause significant losses in both grain quality and quantity, literally eating into a grower’s profits.
The cost can be staggering. Kevin Daniel, manager of MFA Agri Services in Sedalia, Mo., saw the negative impact firsthand last fall when a customer brought in a load of corn heavily infested with weevils.

“It was so damaged that it wasn’t worth half the price,” Daniel said. “We didn’t want to mix it in with other customers’ corn and bring their quality down. It was quite an issue. If he’d just spent a few cents per bushel to protect it going into the bin, he wouldn’t have had the problem coming out of the bin.”

It’s a widespread issue that farmers and elevator operators deal with every year. Post-harvest insect infestations account for the destruction of up to 10% of the U.S. grain crop annually, according to Johnny Wilson, technical services specialist for Central Life Sciences (CLS) Grain Protection and Specialty divisions. And the longer grain stays in storage, the greater the risk of infestation or damage that can compromise the return on investment for farmers.

“Crop management doesn’t end when harvest is over,” Wilson said. “We like to brag to our friends and neighbors about how we were able to coax out an extra 5 bushels an acre by implementing a new technique or product. Checks don’t get cut based on crop yield, though. They get cut after delivery. By utilizing good sanitation practices, good management practices and properly protecting your grain, you can rest easy knowing you did everything to maximize your profits.”

Identifying the enemy
Crops most susceptible to insect damage are wheat, corn, rice, barley and oats, Wilson said, and knowing what pests are most threatening can help determine the best control methods. Internal-feeding insects such as the rice weevil, granary weevil and lesser grain borer do their damage by penetrating through the outside of the kernel and eating the interior components of the grain. They also use the kernel as a nesting ground to lay eggs and hatch the next generation of feeders.

“By laying eggs inside of the kernel, it provides them protection from chemical grain protectants and even fumigants,” Wilson said. “This allows the immature larvae to pupate inside the kernel without coming into contact with an insecticide, even if one is applied, because it is all on the exterior of the kernel.”

Stored grain is also threatened by “secondary feeders,” which are insects that do not burrow into the kernel but act more as scavengers. They tend to be invasive in processing facilities where grain is being broken down and in situations where the grain has become compromised due to damaged kernels. This class includes such insects as red flour beetles, merchant beetles and Indian meal moths.

“While not directly damaging whole grain, their presence can disrupt the temperature and moisture of stored grain as well as serve as a warning that damage is occurring due to internal feeders,” Wilson explained. “Since they don’t have the luxury of burrowing into the grain, the eggs and immature insects will be susceptible to chemical protectants.”

Assessing the damage

Wilson, who holds a Ph.D. in grain science, has been studying the economic impact of insect damage in stored grain. Specifically, he is spearheading trials at the CLS facility in Dallas, Texas, to measure the degree and type of grain loss that occurs over time in storage due to insect damage.

“In our current trial, we are measuring losses in whole corn infested with lesser grain borers and comparing it to corn treated with a grain protectant prior to insect addition,” Wilson explained. “We have just completed our 60-day testing, and the amount of damage we already see is shocking.”

Over that two-month period, Wilson said the grain incurred a loss of 1.5% in dry matter shrink when no insect-control treatment was applied. That doesn’t factor in the fines generated by the insects, which account for another 0.5% loss.

“Now, we’re at a 2% dry matter loss, and we haven’t even factored in the effect it will have on grade,” Wilson added. “To quantify the impact to the producer, at $5-per-bushel corn, a 2% loss is 10 cents per bushel. That alone will give a positive return on investment for insect-control measures without even factoring in the severe penalties for grain quality.”

He said perhaps the most shocking dataset from the study is the percentage by weight of insect-damaged kernels. The untreated corn had a whopping 14% of kernels with signs of insect damage while the corn treated with CLS’s new stored-grain insecticide, Gravista-D, showed virtually no damage before insect mortality occurred.

“That percentage is enough to kick a sample of corn down from U.S. No. 2 grade all the way to U.S. sample grade and result in rejections,” Wilson said, adding that he anticipates an even greater loss when the study concludes after 90 days. “Even blending corn with this level of damage into other bins for a quick sale will be very difficult.”

In future seasons, Wilson said CLS will be conducting scale-up trials with the USDA to quantify losses and the value that can be generated by preserving grain. These trials will take place in a variety of storage situations and at a scale much more representative of commercial grain operations.

“Every operation’s different, so we can’t realistically test every variable,” he said. “But if we can at least give a good starting point to say, in an average year, if you’re putting grain in this type of scenario and holding it for this long, this is the amount of shrink that you can realistically expect from insects, damage from respiration, water, migration, all these different things. And then we can show the value of treating before grain goes in there.”

Making the grade
It doesn’t take a scientific study, however, to convince Mel Gerber to protect the quality of the wheat he grows on his farm in Versailles, Mo. He treats every load as it goes into the bin with CLS’s Diacon IGR Plus, an insecticide that provides two modes of action through an insect growth regulator plus adulticide.

“If you’re going to be profitable growing wheat, it has one real market—human-grade consumption. And that means it must be quality wheat,” Gerber said. “If it’s only fit to feed to cattle or pigs or chickens, you’re not going to get much money for it. Anything we can do to make wheat safer, better and higher quality is what we need to do. The market does not like nasty wheat.”

Gerber uses a liquid applicator he created and calibrated to dribble the insecticide over the wheat as it goes into the bin. The practice takes little extra effort, he said, and the cost is minimal compared to the discounts that poor-quality grain might encounter at market.

“Look at it this way. It only costs you 6 or 7 cents to treat a bushel. How much are they going to dock you if you have weevils in your wheat? 40 cents? 60 cents?” Gerber said. “You may be spending money, but you’re actually saving money and protecting quality.”

As harvest season approaches, now is the time to think about storage plans and how to best protect high-value grain crops from the threat of damaging insects. It’s important to have a multi-pronged approach, Gerber said.

“Insect control’s fairly easy, but it’s not enough by itself,” Gerber said. “You shouldn’t depend just on insecticides for your storage solutions, especially if you’re keeping that grain long term. Unless you’ve got the most high-tech system available, I think it’s a good idea to move that grain every so often, and that solves a lot of the problems. You can examine it. Check to make sure the moisture is OK. You can retreat if you need to. Even if you have to move from one bin to another and then put it back, you can at least see how you’re doing.”

Insect control in stored grain is unique to each facility. Challenges such as regional climate, outside insect pressure, carryover, facility age and dozens of other factors make blanket recommendations impossible, Wilson said. When it comes to best practices in grain storage, he said he likes to follow the “S.L.A.M.” method: Sanitation, Loading, Aeration and Monitoring (see accompanying sidebar).

“I would love to be able to say all you have to do is use CLS products, and all your problems will go away,” he said. “But unfortunately, real life is not that simple. I like to preach integrated pest management. Any pest control method—from protectants to fumigants to heat treatment—will not be as effective as it could be if it is not completed as part of a whole program.”

For more information on solutions for protecting stored grain, visit with the experts at your MFA Agri Services or AGChoice location.

GET GRAIN STORAGE READY FOR HARVEST CHECKLIST - Related Story

CLICK HERE to read more articles from this August/September 2023 issue of Today's Farmer Magazine.

  • Created on .
  • Hits: 441

About Today's Farmer magazine

Today's Farmer is published 9 times annually. Printed issues arrive monthly except combined issues for June/July, August/September and December/January. Subscriptions are available only in the United States.

If you would like to begin or renew a print subscription, CLICK HERE and go to our shop. We are proud to offer the subscription for only $15 per year.

 ©2023 MFA Incorporated.


Connect with us.