Year: 2019

Raising Heritage Breed Hogs Outdoors Links Past and Present for Norton Farms For the Norton family, tradition runs five generations deep in the rolling hills just outside Plattsburg in northwest Missouri’s Clinton County. Since 1884, the family has followed the same farming formula for success. “You need to be diversified,” […]

Data from MU researchers shows soybean cyst nematode (SCN) field populations are becoming more virulent on commercial soybean cultivars, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette. Testing fields for SCN is typically conducted once harvest is completed; however, spring is not too late to send soil samples for […]

When Scott Stone began his career as an ag teacher at Centralia High School in rural Centralia, Mo., 21 years ago, three out of every four students came from a farming family. Now, only 15 percent of his students come from the farm. As the demographics of his students have […]

Farmers are looking for any advantage they can find to improve their balance sheets as the agricultural economy remains mired in a five-year rut. In the quest to control costs and maximize efficiency, irrigators are increasingly turning to propane to power their pumps. Robert Compton, an MFA Oil member and […]

It’s not uncommon for Jay Collins to put in 13-hour days on his diversified farm in Lentner, Mo. There’s so much to be done—raising row crops, running a cow/calf operation and managing contracted swine facilities—that it takes a full family effort to keep the operation going on a daily basis. […]

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which regulates global shipping, is set to roll out new regulations at the start of next year to reduce sulfur content in fuels used by shipping vessels. You may be wondering what bearing oceanic cargo ships have on a farm cooperative here in the Midwest […]

On any given Tuesday, a jovial group of women can be found sewing blankets, infant clothing and accessories in a Hartville, Mo. church. The women share two passions—sewing and giving back to their local community. These ladies make up the Southwestern Missouri Chapter of Newborns in Need, an organization devoted […]

Joey Massey, who represents the Mid-South (District 8) on the MFA Oil Board of Directors, was recently awarded certification recognizing his completion of the Advanced Governance Series training program for cooperative board members. The series, which is offered by FCC Services, provides training on the complexity of co-op governance and […]

MFA Oil Company congratulates Benny Farrell, former chairman of the company’s Board of Directors for his induction into the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives’ Hall of Fame in March. Farrell served on the MFA Oil board for 27 years, including 21 as its chairman. He played a fundamental role in guiding […]

Since its founding in 1929, MFA Oil Company has consistently focused its efforts on fulfilling the needs of its farmer-owners. The cooperative serves its more than 40,000 farmer-members in a variety of ways, such as ensuring a reliable supply of quality petroleum products at a fair price. One important benefit […]

Farm machinery transportation can create dangers for farmers and rural residents. Tractors and other farm implements will soon be on the move from one field to another on backroads and highways across the Midwest. Planting season is one of the most hazardous times for driving in rural areas, notes Karen […]

Spring is nearly here. That means it’s time to start getting fields ready for planting. To ensure your equipment is ready to run without issue, you need to perform preventative maintenance on your bulk fuel tank. If left unchecked, your tank will begin to collect water, rust, dirt and bacteria. […]