Year: 2021

In Washington, policy focus is shifting to building for the future. On the rural front, agriculture has its swagger back. Anticipation of a return to normal is in the air. But for the economy and rural industries, there will be no going back to pre-COVID conditions. The combination of trillions […]

With lower initial investments and higher returns, fruit and vegetable production could play a big role in doubling the state’s agricultural economy by 2030, according to a study by University of Missouri researchers. “Compared to row crops, you don’t have to have as many acres of fruit and vegetables to […]

In the poultry industry, being “up with the chickens” isn’t an expression reserved exclusively for early mornings. It also means late nights, weekends, holidays and everything in between. Tammy and Richard Hale know this all too well—yet they wouldn’t change a thing. “The chickens are kind of like your kids […]

More than half the students at Ash Grove High School are food insecure. That’s a shocking figure for Lawrence County, Missouri’s top county for beef cattle. It’s especially astonishing considering southwest Missouri is among the leading cattle production areas in the country, and the Show-Me State is home to the […]

The coronavirus pandemic turned our lives upside down. Everyone was affected in some fashion. Now that we hopefully see some light at the end of the tunnel, it’s worth looking back to see what we can learn from the experience. My biggest takeaway is to take nothing for granted, especially […]

The Missouri General Assembly has passed a bill that would increase the state’s motor fuel tax rate for the first time in 25 years. The measure, which was sent to Gov. Mike Parson on May 11, would gradually increase the tax on gasoline, diesel and other transportation fuels by 12.5 […]

The price of motor oils, greases, hydraulic fluids and other lubricants has been steadily climbing in 2021. Major oil refiners have already announced five price increases in the first five months of 2021 on base oils, the foundational ingredient in most modern lubricants. Base oil prices have been pushed higher […]

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is moving forward with mandatory cybersecurity requirements for pipelines following the May ransomware attack that crippled America’s largest pipeline and left thousands of gas stations in the Southeast without fuel. A directive issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a unit of DHS, will […]

The donation of a three-acre parcel of land in Tebbetts, Mo. may help preserve a part of the community’s cultural heritage. On May 5, MFA Oil Company transferred the deed to a strip of property along Missouri Highway 94 to African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. The land donated by MFA […]

Glen Cope, a fourth-generation cattle rancher from Aurora, Mo., has served on the MFA Oil Board of Directors since December 2018 and was elected chairman on December 16, 2020. How would you describe yourself and your farming operation? I grew up on my family’s cattle operation in Barry County, which […]

Beginning in May, MFA Oil customers will have the opportunity to lock in prices with propane contracts for next winter. The MFA Oil Pre-Buy Program allows individuals and businesses to contract a predetermined volume of propane at a set price. Spring and summer are traditionally great times to contract propane. […]

Surveys show half of equipment operators are unaware of how choosing the right grease can positively impact the performance of their machinery. Proper greasing is a crucial maintenance practice and one of the keys to extending the longevity of your equipment. While there are many factors like a grease’s grade, […]