Magazine Issue: Spring 2026

Momentum Magazine >> Spring 2026

Articles

MFA Oil President & CEO Jon Ihler wears a blue checked suit, light blue shirt, and red striped tie. He stands in front of a blurred outdoor background.

Standing Together

Farmer-owned cooperatives are built on a simple but powerful idea: We’re stronger together than we are alone. It’s a principle that has sustained rural communities and agricultural co-ops across America for well over a century and continues to drive our commitment to maintain the viability of the cooperative model. Recently, […]

Rolling Out Value

Big O Tires Extends Commercial Tire Discount to MFA Oil Members MFA Oil was founded by a group of Missouri farmers determined to secure a reliable and affordable supply of petroleum products. The cooperative was built on the idea that the collective purchasing power of individual farmers could secure better […]

David Foster in a light purple button-up shirt and an MFA Oil baseball cap stands in a barn with cows visible in the background. Sunlight streams through the gaps in the barn walls.

More than Milk

How a Fourth-Generation Dairyman Built a Future Beyond the Farm David Foster couldn’t believe it. The $20,000 he had wired overseas for a farm implement was gone. What seemed like a promising deal from a Chinese manufacturer turned out to be a scam. For many people, a mistake like that […]

Two people in hats stand in a field at sunset; one holds a laptop while the other points toward the horizon, silhouetted against a colorful sky.

Preparing the Next Generation of Farmers

Every farmer understands a basic truth: A good harvest does not happen by chance. It takes planning, preparation and decisions made long before crops ever emerge from the soil. Farm succession works the same way. Across the Midwest, farm families are entering a season of transition that will shape not […]

Round hay bales sit in a harvested field under a vibrant sky at sunset, with golden sunlight casting long shadows and illuminating the landscape.

Three Ways to Be More Profitable Making Hay

Haymaking is a game of threes, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts. To be profitable, producers must manage three key factors: equipment expenses, quality and yield. Haymaking grew in popularity in the 1970s with the introduction of the large round baler. Large bales improved efficiency and […]

Aerial view of a Breaktime gas station with multiple fuel pumps and a convenience store, surrounded by an empty parking lot at dusk. A semi-truck is parked nearby. The sky is darkening, and the area is quiet.

Built for the Road

Break Time Truck Stops Deliver Convenience, Comfort and Rewards Break Time has established itself as a reliable destination for professional drivers and travelers alike through its growing network of full-service truck stops among its more than 70 locations. With six truck stops in Bolivar, Jefferson City, Moberly, Sedalia, Sikeston and […]

A photo of Tim Davis instructing his students in the evaluation of meats.

From Rejection to Recognition

Tim Davis didn’t get the first teaching job he applied for. “And I became determined to prove them wrong,” he says. Eight years later, Davis is the Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association’s outstanding early career teacher for 2024, has been twice voted most valuable teacher at North Shelby High School, […]

Photo of members learning about My MFA Oil, the co-op’s new customer portal.

Strong Foundations, Bright Future

More than 320 farmer-owners convened in Columbia, Mo., on Dec. 14-15 for MFA Oil Company’s 96th Annual Delegate Meeting, where they received updates on the cooperative’s financial performance and heard about significant investments in infrastructure and technology. The meeting brought together delegates from across MFA Oil’s eight-district territory to review […]

A group of Seniors and children enjoy a meal at the library in La Cygne, Kansas. An MFA Oil Foundation grant provided the library with reusable, microwavable containers that patrons can take home and reheat.

Books and Beyond

Above: Seniors and children enjoy a meal at the library in La Cygne, Kansas. An MFA Oil Foundation grant provided the library with reusable, microwavable containers that patrons can take home and reheat. While public libraries may be best known for their shelves of literature—from classic novels to nonfiction to […]

A photo of MFA Oil plant manager Kelly Van Dusen (center) and District Manager Tony Johnson (right) present a check to Parks Work in Marceline, Mo., to help purchase new playground equipment.

Local Support That Makes a Difference

Above: MFA Oil plant manager Kelly Van Dusen (center) and District Manager Tony Johnson (right) present a check to Parks Work in Marceline, Mo., to help purchase new playground equipment. MFA Oil Foundation Supports 63 Community Organizations The MFA Oil Foundation provides cash grants to nonprofit organizations that are working to […]

Photo of delegate Larry Triplett wearing a hat and vest stands in a grassy field with cows grazing in the background under a clear blue sky and bare trees.

The Road and the Ranch

Larry Triplett has been around cattle since he was old enough to follow his grandfather through a pasture. That was a long time ago. In the decades since, he has built a career that took him around the world and figured out how to run a ranch almost single-handedly while […]

An Unexpected Rally

NOTE: Recent events in Iran have significantly altered the original story planned here. This update attempts to assess current events quickly and make sense of the market dynamics that have shifted dramatically. If bombs are dropping and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is halted, prices will find strong support […]