Q&A with Doyle Oehl of the MFA Oil Board of Directors
November 15, 2024
Written By Doyle Oehl
Doyle Oehl of Jackson, Mo., raises corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and cattle with his son, John. He is a member of the Missouri Cattleman’s Association and St. Paul Lutheran Church of Jackson. Oehl serves on MFA Incorporated’s Board of Directors and as vice president of the Citizens Electric Board of Directors. He was elected to the MFA Oil Board of Directors in 2024.
Q: How would you describe yourself and your farming operation?
A: Being raised on a family farm, I was the first generation of my family to go to college. After I received an agribusiness degree, I worked for the farm credit system for six years. I’ve been farming for 44 years and feel very blessed to have farmed with my father, and I am now in partnership with my son, John.
The farm has evolved throughout the years. We have grown from around 350 acres of row crops to about 2,000 acres of cropland today. We raise corn, soybeans, wheat, hay, and this year, canola. We have more than 100 head of cattle. We sell mostly feeder calves and some fat cattle.
I am active in my church, St. Paul Lutheran Church of Jackson, Mo., where I have served on several boards and am an usher. I also like to stay involved in local community organizations.
Q: What motivated you to serve on the MFA Oil Board of Directors?
A: Marion Kertz, my predecessor on the MFA Oil Board of Directors, is one of my lifelong friends. For years, Marion has told me how great MFA Oil is and how proud he was to represent the farmers of the Southeast District. When Marion retired from the board, I wanted to get more involved because energy is important to farmers.
Our need for a reliable supply of energy is just as important today as it was when a group of Missouri farmers came together in 1929 to form the cooperative. MFA Oil is a leader in the energy sector and has been diligent in exploring new options, such as solar power and other renewables. With the changing political climate, maintaining access to a variety of energy options to fuel our farms is essential.
I’ve always enjoyed talking with fellow farmers to share ideas, and I am happy to represent the interests of southeast Missouri farmers in the boardroom.
Q: Since its founding in 1929, MFA Oil has evolved with the times to meet its members’ needs. What must the co-op do to continue to serve future generations of farmers?
A: These days, everything is becoming increasingly technological. We must keep up with that so that we don’t fall behind. We need to stay in tune with the expectations of our next-generation farmers to ensure we understand their needs and wants and that the cooperative works for them.
We must also continue to find ways to engage the younger generations of farmers. As the farming community has become increasingly older, the same is true of our MFA Oil delegation. We need to recruit an influx of young people now to ensure we have leadership candidates for the future.
Q: What is something you think more members of the cooperative should know?
A: Our members should know they have a top-notch management team overseeing the cooperative and a dedicated group of employees. The energy sector is big and competitive, and we are fortunate to have an exceptional team that prevents us from falling behind.
MFA Oil has a strong financial portfolio. This enables us to take a conservatively aggressive approach. If management identifies opportunities to enhance the co-op’s member services, we can act on them. That’s a great situation for our membership and something we should all appreciate.
Q: You have experience serving on the board of directors for other organizations. How will that experience serve you as a director on the MFA Oil Board?
A: I have been a director for my local electric co-op, Citizens Electric, for over 20 years and also serve on the MFA Incorporated Board of Directors. I have received extensive formal board training through classes and seminars, and informal training by dealing with nearly every challenge a board of directors can face.
Serving as a director with these other cooperatives has given me invaluable experience. I’ve voted on major investments, service expansions and other important decisions. Every board is different, and each cooperative faces its own unique challenges, but I feel confident that my experience will be an asset when it comes time to make tough decisions for the good of our member-owners.