Upfront

Missouri student makes national scene
For the next year, Zach Kinne, a North Harrison FFA chapter member from Eagleville, Mo., will lead more than 500,000 fellow FFA members as 2007-08 National FFA President. He was elected to that office at the 80th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
Kinne was among six individuals selected from a field of 40 to hold a national office. He is the son of Keith and Shelly Kinne. His FFA advisor is Brandon Craig.
Fulfilling his position will require traveling more than 100,000 miles; meeting top leaders in business, government and education; visiting approximately 40 states; and participating in an international experience tour to Japan.
The national FFA officer selection process is intense and represents an assessment of years of academic and extracurricular accomplishments made by each student running for office. Nominees must first qualify on the state level to represent their particular state FFA associations.
A panel of nine state FFA officers comprises the nominating committee that proposes the slate of six officers for approval by the convention delegates.
A student at the University of Missouri, Kinne is involved in the College of Agriculture Student Development Board, MU Alumni Association Student Board, Agriculture Economics Club, Collegiate Farm Bureau, College of Agriculture Learning Improvement Committee and the Missouri Department of Education College Preparatory Taskforce.
As an FFA member, Kinne participated in a supervised agricultural experience producing and selling registered Angus seed-stock bulls. He was selected as a state winner and national semifinalist in prepared public speaking, was high individual in his district’s dairy judging contest and was named State Star in agricultural placement.

Speed matters
According to an organization called Speed Matters, millions of consumers, especially in rural areas, do not have access to high-speed broadband because it does not yet pay for providers to invest in these areas. The organization reports a rural/urban digital divide with only 17 percent of adults in rural areas subscribing to broadband compared to 31 percent in urban and 30 percent in suburban areas. Moreover, there is a farm/non-farm divide. Only 15.8 percent of farm households have adopted broadband.
Whether you have broadband or not, log into the Speed Matters site to get an idea of your connection speed. Visit www.speedmatters.org and click on “test your speed.”
In November, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt commissioned a the Rural High-Speed Internet Access Task Force to identify opportunities to increase access to technology across the state.
“It is important that we help expand access to high-speed internet to all parts of Missouri ensuring that no Missourian is left out of today’s technology-based economy,” Gov. Blunt said. “Unfortunately, many communities in rural Missouri lack access to the infrastructure necessary for high-speed Internet, and this problem is inhibiting job growth and economic expansion.”
The group will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and will submit a report to the governor by Feb. 1, 2008.

To build a children’s barn
The MFA Foundation has committed $125,000 in support for Jefferson Farm & Gardens. The MFA Foundation was established nearly 50 years ago and is supported by both Columbia-based organizations, MFA Incorporated and MFA Oil Company. This gift will be used toward the cost of construction of the Children’s Barn at this new 67-acre educational facility under development in Columbia, Mo.
The Children’s Barn will serve as an educational facility to inform visitors on the importance of animal agriculture. Under the supervision of an animal science educator, visitors will be able to see common Missouri farm animals up close in the barn and view informational exhibits.
“We are sincerely grateful to MFA and its foundations for helping to make this integral component of the Jefferson Farm & Gardens project possible,” said Rob Myers, executive director of the Jefferson Institute.
Don Copenhaver, president and CEO of MFA Incorporated, offered these comments: “The Board of Trustees of the MFA Foundation is proud to play a role in establishing this new educational facility. Furthering education is the primary mission of our Foundation. The MFA Foundation will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2008. Over those 50 years the MFA Foundation has provided more than $10 million in scholarships to nearly 10,000 graduating high school seniors. The Foundation currently provides more than 300 scholarships annually throughout our market area to high school seniors in the amount of $2,000 each. The Jefferson Farm & Gardens, with its focus on education and agriculture, fits well within the scope of the MFA Foundation.”
The Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Missouri that conducts agricultural education and research projects. For more information on Jefferson Farm & Gardens, visit www.jeffersonfarm.org.

Chinese delegation visits MFA Agri Services
To get a picture of how the U.S. grain complex handles DDGS, the U.S. Grains Council hosted a delegation Chinese feedstuff buyers for a tour of several agricultural sites in Missouri. Among their stops were the Laddonia MFA Agri Services and the MFA feed mill in Mexico. After visiting the POET ethanol facility in Laddonia, the delegation gathered in the Laddonia Agri Services office as general manager Chris Robnett described the fundamentals of an MFA retail location and the dynamics of grain handling when an elevator is near multiple processing plants and close to river terminal markets. MFA grain coordinator Beverly Fox gave the group some perspective about grain origination, explaining the shift in basis that occurs when a corn end-user such as POET is literally across the railroad tracks. After a walking tour of the Laddonia facility, the delegation visited MFA’s Mexico feed mill where they learned about DDGS as an ingredient in locally manufactured feed. The goal of the Chinese delegation was to develop relationships with U.S. suppliers of DDGS in efforts to learn more about requirements and logistics of shipping DDGS on the international market. The tour followed the International Distiller’s Grains Conference in Schaumburg, Ill. Dr. Todd Meyer, country director for the U.S. Grains Council’s Beijing office said that the southern coastal areas of China are potential importers of DDGS for livestock feed. Chinese consumers’ increasing appetite for protein is pushing demand for feed in the country’s livestock sector.

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