UPFRONT
Heinkel honored in Cooperative Hall of Fame
Fred V. Heinkel, former president of MFA, was posthumously inducted into the Missouri Cooperative Hall of Fame at a ceremony hosted by the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives Feb. 5, 2007. On hand to accept the award was Richard Collins, retired vice president of communications for MFA Incorporated.
Fred Heinkel dedicated his life to building a cooperative to meet the economic needs of farmers. He began as secretary of his local farm club and secretary-treasurer of his local livestock shipping service. By 1936, Heinkel had been elected vice president of MFA. In 1940, he was chosen to succeed William Hirth as president. He was elected president of MFA 38 times. As Heinkel liked to say, he walked out of the corn rows into the office.
Fred Heinkel had the vision to see the potential of a cooperative and the courage to pioneer new programs and services. Under Heinkel’s leadership, MFA began bulk fertilizer manufacturing and distribution, an artificial breeding association, packing plants, an insurance company, milk processing plants, a seed division, an extensive system of feed manufacturing to supply exchanges, soybean processing, oil refineries, seed processing, a poultry and egg division, high-analysis fertilizer production, anhydrous ammonia distribution, terminal grain storage, distribution systems, a unique tel-o-auction, nitrogen production plants, and a research farm for testing and improving products and practices.
His contributions extend beyond the successful direction of MFA and its affiliates. He was an advisor to U.S. presidents from Roosevelt to Ford, receiving numerous appointments to national advisory committees.
Writing letters in support of Heinkel’s nomination were Don Copenhaver, president and CEO of MFA Incorporated; Otto Schulte, retired vice president of MFA; Howard B. Lang, retired president and CEO of MFA Mutual Insurance Company (now Shelter Insurance Company); and Jerry Jennison, retired manager of farm credit for MFA Incorporated.
Happy rider
Each year, MFA partners with 4-H to provide a western saddle for a lucky 4-H member in Missouri. This year, Kate Crombie of Franklin County (right) earned first place in the MFA Saddle Award contest. Crombie is a member of the Horse Wise 4-H Club. Her parents are Paul and Rita Crombie. She plans to attend Truman State University and major in biology/studio art. The saddle was awarded at the Missouri Equine Council’s annual symposium. The saddle was presented by MFA equine specialist Janice Spears. Spears said that the saddle is just one example of the complete line of equine products available through MFA.
Organic is no better
David Miliband, the environment secretary for the UK, announced earlier this year that organic food isn’t better for consumers than food grown by conventional measures. He called organic purchases a lifestyle choice, adding there is no hard evidence to show it is healthier.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, a UK national paper, Miliband said, “It’s only 4 percent of total farm produce, not 40 percent, and I would not want to say that 96 percent of our farm produce is inferior because it’s not organic.”
He added that organic agriculture was an exciting market opportunity.
The Soil Association, the organization that regulates organic food in the UK didn’t agree. Soon after the story ran, the Soil Association put out a list of talking points. It says that “Overall organic farming uses 37 to 50 percent less energy than conventional agriculture—mainly due to its avoidance of artificial fertilizers and pesticides.” There was no mention of comparable yield per use of energy, however.
The Soil Association talking points also suggested that Miliband’s comments were taken out of context by The Sunday Times and “to say the purchasing of organic food is merely ‘a lifestyle choice’ is patronizing to consumers and dismisses solid evidence, including that of his own department, which indicates real, concrete benefits to the environment, for animal welfare, as well as for human health, from organic farming.”
As the market for organic grows in the United States, look for similar dust ups. Some may start sooner than expected. In late February, Whole Foods and Wild Oats, the two largest organic retailers, announced plans to merge. Under the terms announced, Whole Foods would acquire Wild Oats for some $565 million plus the assumption of $106 million of Wild Oats debt.
Wal-Mart entered the organic sector in 2006, promising 10 percent of its grocery offerings would be available in organic form.
Parking lot GPS
MFA precision agronomy account manager Oran Boulden (right) shows Chad Reid, a sales rep and applicator from Emma, Mo., the basics on using global positioning via a hand-held Compaq. Continuing training is a focus for the precision group as MFA continues to build its precision program with products like Nutri-Track, a program designed to manage, maintain and track fertility levels across a farm by combining GPS-based soil testing and yield monitoring.
A light in the storm
Abigail Potter (right) makes change by lantern light for Garret King of Buffalo, Mo., at the Dallas County Farmers Exchange, an MFA affiliate. The retail store managed to stay open through some of the worst weather that January ice storms threw at southwest Missouri.
A few tips on walnuts
The Missouri chapter of the Walnut Council is hosting a field day on April 14 at the community center in Arrow Rock. Demonstrations and discussions on raising walnut trees will cover pruning, thinning, weed control, site selection, timber stand improvement and marketing. Council member Harlan Palm pointed out that management of growth during a walnut tree’s formative stages can increase its potential value 10 to 20 fold. Field day attendees will tour a couple of sites near Arrow Rock. Registration begins at 8:45 a.m. For more details, call Harlan Palm at (573) 882-1402 or e-mail palmh@missouri.edu.
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