Magazine Issue: Summer 2023

If you thought efforts to reduce carbon emissions in transportation were limited to electric vehicles, that would be understandable given the press coverage EVs have received in recent years. The reality is that a broad mix of sustainable energy, including liquid fuels, will play a pivotal role in curbing greenhouse […]

New Federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements went into effect on Feb. 7, 2022, establishing a single national standard for obtaining a commercial driver’s license. The regulations set a baseline for training requirements for drivers seeking to:• obtain a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time;• upgrade […]

Long Row Lavender Allows Guests to Relax with an Ancient Herb On a brilliant May morning, Tracy Smith led a group of 10 ladies through rows of lavender—her farm’s signature crop in rural Warren County, Mo. While she discussed the do’s and don’ts of growing the fragrant shrub, she encouraged […]

Six years after Charlie Besher’s first experience with black vultures, the memory of the encounter remains vivid. He and his wife, Donnia, were checking on their cattle in Perry County, Mo., when they came upon a grisly scene. At least 20 vultures were ravaging the corpse of a newborn calf […]

Much has changed in the nearly 100 years since MFA Oil Company’s founding, but the need for a dependable energy supplier remains as vital as ever for the cooperative’s farmer-owners. MFA Oil understands the importance of investing in infrastructure to ensure the success of its member-owners. The cooperative is committed […]

There are many reasons to avoid cutting low when mowing hay, but money is the main one, said University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg. Schnakenberg recommends a height of 4 inches for cool-season grasses like tall fescue, bromegrass, orchardgrass and Timothy and 8 inches for native warm-season grasses. Typically, […]

Q: When you look back at your time on the Board, what are you most proud of? A: Serving as the representative for the cooperative’s southeast district has been a rewarding experience. I enjoy participating in the governance of MFA Oil and working with the management team to set our […]

A major upgrade to the credit card readers at MFA Oil Petro-Card 24 locations is nearing completion. The company has activated chip card readers and pin pads at more than 75% of its Petro-Card 24 fueling sites. The MFA Oil maintenance team is visiting each site to verify that the […]

Osceola students win national BBQ championship. National champion. That’s something few Missouri FFA chapters achieve. National food champion. That’s something no Missouri FFA chapter has ever achieved until the Osceola High School FFA BBQ team, directed by Charles (“Chuck”) Simpson, did so at the World Food Championship in Dallas in […]

More lodging and support space will soon be available for families traveling to central Missouri to seek medical care for their children. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mid-Missouri has begun constructing a new, larger home at the corner of South College Avenue and Stadium Boulevard in Columbia. The charity is […]

The Gilliland family has roots running deep in the gently rolling hills of eastern Kansas. Five generations of Gillilands have cultivated the sandy loam in Miami County. Here, along the gravel roads bordered by fields of row crops and pasture, the family has proudly farmed the land since 1896. In […]

Recession, recession, recession. I have been thinking and writing about this for years now. Have we already had one? Are we in one now? Are we going to have one? These are important questions, and if you ask around, you could find someone who thinks the answer is yes to […]