Santa Fe Agri-Leaders kick off winter meetings

State Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton) speaks at the recent Santa Fe Agri-Leaders banquet. (Cindi Ebers/Concordian) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Santa Fe Agri-Leaders President Russell Limback introduced the guest speakers, state Sens. Bill Stouffer and Dan Clemens.

Clemens talked about the animal ID bill that was passed with the cooperation of both parties. He also talked about the struggle to keep ethanol standards as they exist. He warned about guarding agricultural interests.

"We have created so much potential in central and northern Missouri to let the enviromental (interests) and animal rights activists drive us out of business," Clemens said. "We have to watch. They're coming after us, our way of life."

Stouffer set much the same tone when he spoke. He said it is important that those in agriculture be vigilant about agricultural interests. He pointed out how people's understanding of agriculture has changed.

"It used to be people didn't question agriculture," Stouffer said. "(Agriculture) had a reputation and everybody related to that reputation. But in the last few years that has changed. If we don't keep watch, we're gonna pay the price."

Stouffer emphasized the importance of farmers and others in agriculture to be good stewards and neighbors with open lines of communication. He said that this will ease the tension between those working in agriculture and their non-agricultural neighbors, some of whom may take legal action if bothered by a combine running late at night or dust getting on freshly washed clothes hanging on the line.

"We need to be good stewards, good educators, good communicators and good neighbors," Stouffer said.

He also talked briefly about the farm transporation package that will improve the quality of lesser-used roads. Part of this package includes the replacement of bridges in rural areas.

"Eight hundred bridges (are due to) be replaced in (Missouri) during the next five years," Stouffer said.

Santa Fe R-10 School District Superintendent Douglas Wright informed the group about the "Chiefs alert" service. It allows patrons to get information via e-mail or text message. Members of Santa Fe Agri-Leaders can have meeting reminders sent through this service.

Santa Fe High School FFA advisor John Morgan presented the topics for the winter meetings. All meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are held in the high school agricuture department. The first meeting with guest speaker was Don Borgman of Wellington. Using his 30 years of banking industry experience, he discussed the current financial situation in relation to agriculture.

This Monday, the guest speaker will be Duane Pomerenke, assistant vice president and risk management specialist with FCS in Saline County. He will explain the different kinds of crop insurance and various options available to producers.

On Jan. 26, the speaker will be Dr. John Lory who has a comercial agriculture extension/ research appointment in environmental nutrient management. He will talk about the use of manure as a source of nutients for crop production.

The Feb. 2 speaker will be Kelly Smith, the marketing and commodities director with Missouri Farm Bureau. She will review markets from the past year and explain what direction the trends point to for the coming year.

Robert and Judy Camp of Higginsville will speak on Feb. 9 about the wind turbine they installed on their farm for generating electricity. They will explain the cost to install the system, how to obtain agreements with, and the credit system used by, the power company.

Chad Martin will be the featured speaker at the Feb. 16 meeting. He is the cropland soils specialist with AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation. The company educates farmers, ranchers and private forest owners on selling carbon credits from their land as a new source of revenue.

The final winter meeting on Feb. 23 will feature Brian Bagnell, the farm loan manager with the Lafayette County Farm Service Agency office in Higginsville. He will explain the changes in the United States Department of Agriculture's program with the passage of the new farm bill and the introduction of a new White House adminstration.

Jeff Bergman and Judy Hemme presented information on the 2009 State Young Farmer/ Young Farm Wives Summer Tour scheduled for Aug. 2-4. The Santa Fe Agri-Leaders will host the event with the theme "The Heart of Agriculture: where family, pride and tradition run deep." The event will feature area farms and agribusinesses.

Santa Fe FFA president Cassie Wright talked briefly to the group.

Limback concluded the meeting by recognizing the four recipients of the 2008 Santa Fe Agri-Leaders scholarships-Justin Lueck, University of Missouri-Columbia; Jared Moenkhoff, Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville; David Niederjohn, University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg; and Zach Wilkinson, State Fair Community College in Sedalia.

The dinner was served by the Santa Fe R-10 FFA and sponsored by River Valley MFA, Alma; Bartlett Grain Company, Waverly, and Central Missouri Agri-service, Blackburn/Waverly.

Contact Cindy Ebers at concordianreporter@galaxycable.net