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Feature
Legacies in Leather
When telling the tale of Andy Dufresne’s prison escape in the classic 1994 film, “The Shawshank Redemption,” actor and narrator Morgan Freeman explains how Andy wears the warden’s shoes back to his jail cell, shoes that he had buffed to a “high mirror shine,” as instructed. Yet neither the guards […]
Meeting Members’ Needs
MFA Oil Company had good tidings to share with its members this past holiday season. The company announced that members would receive a combined $19.9 million in cash and equity in exchange for doing business with the co-op. The company announced the planned distribution at its 94th Annual Delegate Meeting […]
Growing Together
MFA Oil and MFA Incorporated Hold Third Annual Emerging Leaders in Agriculture Conference More than 80 young farmers and ranchers from Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and Kansas traveled to mid-Missouri for the third annual Emerging Leaders in Agriculture Conference. MFA Oil and MFA Incorporated jointly hosted the event on Jan. 10-12 […]
Family Tradition
Clay Farms Has a Rich, 200-Year History Can you imagine what it takes to run a farm that has been continuously operated since before Missouri earned its statehood? What steps would it take to ensure its survival and safeguard its legacy? John Clay and his wife, DaLana, are well-acquainted with […]
Missouri Forests Are at a Crossroads
The dense forest at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park outside of Columbia, Mo., is peaceful and beautiful. The woods are filled with sights of awe-inducing natural wonder. One thing about the forest is a bit worrisome, though, and it’s a shared concern for more than 60% of Missouri forests—it’s getting […]
Clock is Ticking on Farm Bill Reauthorization
The prospects of a new farm bill passing in 2023 appeared increasingly slim as Congress returned for a potentially chaotic fall session. Following a monthlong summer recess, legislators faced a long to-do list, including preventing a government shutdown, reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, replenishing disaster relief funds, deciding how […]
Q&A with Randy Pace of the MFA Oil Board of Directors
Randy Pace co-owns a diversified family farming operation in West Plains, Mo. He is an MFA Oil delegate and was elected to the MFA Oil Board of Directors in 2023. Q: How would you describe yourself and your farming operation? A: I was raised on a 167-acre beef cattle operation […]
Scented Splendor
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 […]
Vulture Vexation
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 […]
Investments for the Future
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 […]
Sweeter with Time
Tending to sweet potatoes has been a passion for the Matthews family since 1885 These days, it seems the sweet potato has found its way onto American dinner tables with increased frequency. No longer is the venerable vegetable simply baked and buttered or smothered with marshmallows. There’s an entire new […]
Poised for Growth
MFA Oil Company declared it would pay $6.9 million in cash to its members in exchange for doing business with the cooperative during the company’s 93rd Annual Delegate Meeting on Dec. 12, 2022. Nearly 300 elected representatives of the cooperative convened in Columbia, Mo., at the Holiday Inn Expo Center […]