Viewpoint
By Don Copenhaver, President
Two anniversaries underscore MFA's dedication to agriculture
We here at MFA Incorporated as well as our owners and friends have much to celebrate in 2008. Two historically significant anniversaries occur this year: the 100th anniversary of Today’s Farmer magazine and the 50th anniversary of the MFA Foundation scholarship program. March is an appropriate time for all of us to celebrate both anniversaries. After all, MFA traces its own birth to a meeting on March 10, 1914, in a schoolhouse north of Brunswick, Mo.
Today’s Farmer—100 years and thriving
How can Today’s Farmer be celebrating its centennial when MFA itself is only 94 years old? Unlike the situation at most businesses, our magazine predates the cooperative by six years.
In 1908, a man named William Hirth began publishing The Missouri Farmer and Breeder, a twice a month newspaper/magazine. In that publication, Hirth called for the formation of farm clubs. Using Hirth’s published suggestions, on March 10, 1914, seven farmers met at Newcomer Schoolhouse in Chariton County. Those men formed the Newcomer Farm Club, pooled their purchases, ordered binder twine and saved money buying in bulk. A movement and fledgling cooperative were born.
Part of William Hirth’s creed in operating the publication was expressed in his early editions: “The Missouri Farmer and Breeder stands for a system of farming in Missouri that will give the farmer the greatest possible reward for intelligent labor expended. The paper stands for those methods that will cause the land to provide the largest possible crops.”
Quite successfully, Hirth used the publication to rally farmers and ranchers to the MFA cause, a cause built around individuals in charge of their own destiny. In 1917 at an organizational meeting following the Missouri State Fair, members officially resolved The Missouri Farmer be the official publication of the Missouri Farmers Association. It served that purpose until Hirth’s death in 1940. In 1941, MFA bought the magazine from his estate.
Over the years, the name was changed, first by dropping “and Breeder.” Next, in 1967, to better reflect MFA’s expanding trade territory, The Missouri Farmer was renamed Today’s Farmer.
Throughout its existence, Today’s Farmer has remained MFA’s voice in agriculture, a way in which the cooperative communicates with the men and women who do business with us. Today, the magazine’s mission is to present a positive image of the cooperative by providing farmers and ranchers with viable, accurate and progressive agribusiness information. From my perspective, the magazine still fulfills its early creed.
Furthermore, the magazine has proved its worth to MFA as well as its professionalism, consistently garnering, over time, writing, photography and design awards from the two largest organizations devoted to agriculture and cooperatives: the American Agricultural Editors’ Association and Cooperative Communicators of Association.
I hope you’ll join all of us at MFA in celebrating the magazine’s 100th year.
MFA Foundation’s 50th anniversary
50 years. $10 million. 10,000 students. Big numbers in anybody’s book. Those statistics neatly sum up the MFA Foundation scholarship program. The MFA Foundation celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Over that 50-year period, the foundation has provided more than $10 million in scholarships to nearly 10,000 graduating high school seniors in the market area served by MFA Incorporated, MFA Oil Company and affiliated MFA agencies.
As I asked the crowd at MFA’s annual meeting in November, what other company can match that level of giving to our future leaders? Annually, the foundation provides $2,000 scholarships to nearly 325 students throughout our market area. MFA’s scholarship is one of the highest given at local high schools.
For the 2006-07 school year, the foundation spent more than $600,000 in scholarships to deserving high school students. As I continue to point out, through the MFA Foundation, MFA is investing in the future leaders and the educational programs and opportunities that exist today. It’s a worthwhile program worthy of everyone’s support.
Looking back to the rest of the creed referenced above which was printed in the early Missouri Farmers, you’ll find this statement: “We are working for the improvement of the rural school so that the farm boy and girl may have equal opportunity for an education with the city boy and girl.” A lot of time has passed, but MFA has stayed pretty close to its early promises. Wouldn’t you agree?
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