Agriculture -- the cornerstone of Missouri's economy

By U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

Some folks will tell you that Missouri's most important industry, agriculture, touches only those living in rural parts of our state. But after a recent statewide tour of the many farms and ranches that help make up Missouri's agriculture economy -- a tour that took me from the Bootheel to Kansas City, from the Ozarks to Palmyra, and many places in between -- it's clearer than ever to me that the work of our farmers, ranchers, and producers affect all Missourians.

The rice grown in Southeast Missouri doesn't just wind up in a Springfield supermarket -- it's also one of our state's chief exports, powering the local and regional economy. The cutting edge ethanol and renewable fuel technology being pioneered in central Missouri doesn't just help provide new energy sources to homes in Boone and Audrain counties -- it provides good jobs in a strong and growing industry across the state.

Food deserts and a lack of affordable access to healthy fruits and vegetables don't just hurt lower-income Kansas City residents, they represent a real economic strain for the entire state. When the Washington, Mo.-area small farms and co-ops join together to bring high-quality fresh meat and produce to St. Louis markets and consumers, it's a win on both ends.

The farmers, ranchers, producers, and researchers across the state who work to power Missouri's agriculture economy do a remarkable job, especially given the uncertainty of the business -- drought, floods, experiments that fail, and more. And it was clearer to me than ever we've got to ensure they have access to every possible tool to continue to succeed.

That's why I'm working to open up new markets for Missouri rice in China, and for soybeans, pork, and other Missouri products in Cuba, among other places. But in addition to working to expand opportunities abroad, we've also got to do a better job of opening doors right here in the U.S.

In Centralia, I had the opportunity to visit Stanton Brothers Eggs, co-owned and managed by two brothers aged 22 and 19 -- fifth generation farmers who started the farm as a first-grade 4-H project, and have since expanded it into the largest independent free-range egg farm in the country.

It's hard to imagine a more perfect example of the American spirit of hard work and ingenuity than these two brothers, and yet the regulatory burdens on how they can acquire equipment and where they can sell their product could hinder the growth of the business they've worked so hard to build.

We've got to clear away, and be vigilant against, unreasonable rules and regulations that compromise expansion, while at the same time ensuring the government is providing producers with the proper tools to allow them to grow and incentivize the next generation of farmers.

So many of the folks I spoke to across Missouri were worried that the farms passed down to them through generations wouldn't survive to see their children take over. And the bright young agriculture students I spoke with, while eager to get into the business, raised concerns about what the future of agriculture will look like.

It was Missouri's agriculture that helped save the state's economy and helped it bounce back during the recent recession. It is the engine that helps power not just the miles of our state covered by fields, but all of our towns and cities -- with the food we eat, the power we consume, the goods we too often take for granted.

Missouri's agriculture economy helps feed this country and the world -- and we've got to keep it thriving. Whether urban or rural, we all depend on it, and we've got to continue working to help it succeed.