Year: 2019

At 47 years old, Will Dobkins still remembers an age when things were built to last. Whether it was a television set, a vacuum or some other household convenience, there was an expectation that products would stand the test of time and regular use. And, should something go awry, there […]

An overcast and foggy morning couldn’t dim the enthusiasm of thousands of shoppers who showed up at Clary-Shy Park on July 6 for the grand opening of Columbia’s new agriculture park. Nearly 100 vendors offering farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, baked goods and flowers were present for the unveiling of the […]

In June, MFA Oil Company celebrated the 90th anniversary of its founding. If you look back on the history of the cooperative, you will see that the company has evolved over time with a purpose to return the most value to our farmer-owners. Some highlights include: 1929 – Initial bulk […]

The Fifth Annual MFA Oil Charity Golf Scramble and Concert raised $140,000 for Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit organization that provides emergency and financial assistance to the families of U.S. military service members and veterans. The event was held June 3 at The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia and […]

MFA Oil Company, a Big O Tires franchisee based in Columbia, Mo., has acquired the Big O Tires store in Warrensburg, Mo., on May 31.

The MFA Oil Company Board of Directors has named Jon Ihler interim chief executive officer effective April 25, 2019. Ihler will be responsible for overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations of the refined fuel, propane, Petro-Card 24, Break Time, Big O Tires and Jiffy Lube operations across an eight-state region. Ihler […]

At the MFA Oil Company Board of Directors meeting on April 24, a decision was made to take the leadership of the cooperative in a new direction, and Mark Fenner was relieved of his duties as president and CEO. Jon Ihler, MFA Oil vice president of sales and marketing, has […]

There’s something almost magical in the way dogs can bring smiles and joy to people, young and old alike. Just ask Diane Hudson, a veteran MFA Oil dispatcher who has worked in the company’s corporate office in Columbia since 1981. In her spare time, Hudson trains her beloved pooches to […]

As Barb Shatto strolls through the freestall barn where dozens of her family’s dairy herd are busy feeding, she occasionally pauses to greet friendly cattle. “How are you doing this morning?” she asks while bending down to affectionately scratch behind the ears of a curious Holstein. This ritual plays out […]

Flooding and Questionable River Management Priorities Put Farmers in a Tough Spot Doug Shepherd made a final attempt to harvest his stranded soybeans in mid-April, but he was forced to concede the remnants of last year’s crop were a lost cause. Shepherd’s fieldwork has been bogged down by seeping water […]

Suppose the “Green New Deal”—endorsed by several presidential contenders—becomes the law of the land. How would a law that bans fossil fuels touch the lives of real people in Missouri? To take just one example, how would it affect Missouri farmers? Under this plan, the federal government would commit to […]

Each spring, infernos blaze across large swaths of the Flint Hills, consuming everything in their path. While fire would be cause for concern in most areas, on the nearly 10,000 square miles of rocky, unplowed prairie that stretch from eastern Kansas to northern Oklahoma, the flames are a necessity. The […]