The extensive endorsement list includes current and former elected officials and community leaders throughout the 13th Judicial Circuit and beyond.

“I’ve worked with some of the best and brightest leaders in Mid-Missouri, and I’m proud that so many of them are now supporting my campaign for Circuit Judge,” Osete said. “My legal experience has prepared me well for the bench, and with the help of these supporters and many more, I look forward to being elected to a six-year term this fall.”

The first round of endorsements include:
– Hon. John Ashcroft, Fmr. Missouri Governor, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Attorney General
– Hon. Eric Schmitt, U.S. Senator
– Hon. Mike Kehoe, Missouri Lieutenant Governor; Candidate, Missouri Governor
– Hon. Jay Ashcroft, Missouri Secretary of State
– Hon. Vivek Malek, Missouri Treasurer
– Hon. Andrew Bailey, Missouri Attorney General
– Hon. Scott Fitzpatrick, Missouri Auditor
– Hon. David Wasinger, Fmr. MU Curator; Candidate, Missouri Lieutenant Governor
– Hon. Denny Hoskins, Missouri Senator (SD-21); Candidate, Missouri Secretary of State
– Hon. Mark Alford, U.S. Congressman (MO-4)
– Hon. Bob Onder, Fmr. Missouri Senator; Candidate, U.S. Congress (MO-3)
– Hon. Caleb Rowden, Missouri Senator (SD-19) and President Pro Tem
– Hon. Travis Fitzwater, Missouri Senator (SD-10)
– Hon. Kent Haden, Missouri Representative (HD-43)
– Hon. Jim Schulte, Missouri Representative (HD-49)
– Hon. Cheri Toalson Reisch, Missouri Representative (HD-44)
– John Martin, Candidate, Missouri Representative (HD-44)
– Hon. Rusty Black, Missouri Senator (SD-12)
– Hon. Curtis Trent, Missouri Senator (SD-20)
– Hon. Alex Riley, Missouri Representative (HD-134)
– Hon. Dirk Deaton, Missouri Representative (HD-159)
– Hon. Kurtis Gregory, Missouri Representative (HD-51); Candidate, Missouri Senator
– Hon. Kurt Schaefer, Fmr. Missouri Senator (SD-19)
– Hon. Caleb Jones, Fmr. Missouri Representative (HD-50)
– Hon. Sara Walsh, Fmr. Missouri Representative (HD-50)
– Hon. Robin Wenneker, Chair, University of Missouri Board of Curators
– Hon. Todd Graves, Vice-Chair, University of Missouri Board of Curators
– Hon. Michael Williams, Fmr. Chair, University of Missouri Board of Curators
– Hon. Tim Garrison, Fmr. U.S. Attorney, Western District of Missouri
– Hon. Fred Parry, Fmr. Boone County – Southern District Commissioner
– Hon. Taylor Burks, Fmr. Boone County – Clerk
– Hon. Gary Jungermann, Callaway County – Presiding Commissioner
– Hon. Randall Kleindienst, Callaway County – Eastern District Commissioner
– Hon. Roger Fischer, Callaway County – Western District Commissioner
– Curt Warfield, Candidate, Callaway County – Eastern District Commissioner
– Christopher Scott, Candidate, Callaway County – Western District Commissioner
– Hon. Christine Kleindienst, Callaway County – Recorder of Deeds
– Hon. Jody Paschal, Callaway County – Assessor
– Hon. Deborah Zerr, Callaway County – Treasurer
– Hon. Rylee Page, Callaway County – Auditor
– Hon. Dorise Slinker, Mayor, City of Ashland
– Hon. Kate Boatright, Mayor, City of Hallsville
– Hon. Lisa Meyer, Councilwoman, City of Columbia – Ward 2
– Hon. Don Waterman, Councilman, City of Columbia – Ward 5
– Hon. Mike West, Councilman, City of Fulton – Ward 1
– Hon. Jeff Stone, Councilman, City of Fulton – Ward 2
– Hon. Stephanie Bell, Alderwoman, City of Ashland
– Hon. Mark Edwards, Alderman, City of Holts Summit – Ward 1
– Dr. Randy Tobler, Host of Wake Up Mid-Missouri
– Jennifer Bukowsky
– David Means
– Randy Minchew
– Bob and Eva Jones
– Dean and Leona Powell

The post Press Release: Former Deputy Attorney General Jesus Osete announces first round of endorsements for circuit judge appeared first on The Missouri Times.

“Judge Crane has served our community with distinction for over 30 years,” Osete said. “His devotion to the administration of justice and the rule of law is the kind I intend to bring to the bench for many years to come.”

Named an influential lawyer by Missouri Lawyers Media, Osete is currently in private practice, where he handles high-profile disputes in state and federal courts across the country. Osete previously served as Deputy Attorney General, where he advocated for Missourians’ interests before the U.S. Supreme Court. Osete also served as General Counsel to the Secretary of State, worked in the U.S. Senate, and completed clerkships for judges on both the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

“Only in America can the immigrant grandson of a mechanic have the opportunity to uphold the Constitution at the highest court in the land,” Osete said. “In the coming months, I look forward to persuading voters why they should give me the opportunity to uphold the Constitution as a judge.”

Osete has a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where he served as Senior Executive Editor of the Washington University Law Review. He and his wife reside in Columbia with their two children. They attend Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Osete is an alumni of the Missouri Bar’s leadership academy, and an active member in various local organizations. He is also a sought-after speaker on the U.S. Supreme Court.

For more information, please visit OseteforJudge.com.

The post Press Release: Former Deputy Attorney General Jesus Osete announces candidacy for 13th Judicial Circuit, Division 3 appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Recent rains have helped much of the state, but the overall amount of the state experiencing a form of drought has increased.

Areas around Joplin and Springfield, Mo. continue to battle extreme drought conditions. Drought has also started to impact Nothern Missouri, an occurrence not previously seen this summer. Areas around St. Joseph, Mo., Kansas City and the northern border of Missouri are currently experiencing moderate drought, according to the federal drought tracker.

Although rain has indeed helped much of the state when it comes to hay and crops, much of Missouri has still yet to experience the long and consistent rain needed to replenish soil conditions.

According to the report, the cattle market is beginning to see some normalcy, something cattlemen have sorely missed the past few months. The recent rains have given hope to those who have not culled their herds yet.

Crop reports are also optimistic for all three of Missouri’s largest crops.

Corn production is forecast at 525 million bushels, 4% below last year’s production. Corn bids continue to rise after taking a small dip at the beginning of the month.

Soybean production is forecast at 287 million bushels, up 4% from 2021. Soybean bids also rose in the middle of the month.

Except for the St. Louis area, which took a sharp dip compared to other areas.

Wheat production is forecast at 43.6 million bushels, up 37% from the previous year. Wheat bids have started to climb after a large plummet at the beginning of the month.

It seems with heavy rains in the past month and some more consistent ones in the near future, farmers may be able to breathe a small sigh of relief as both the cattle market and the crop market seem to be coming back to normal.

Featured Image Courtesy of Alisha Shurr

Kelton Turner

Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022

www.themissouritimes.com

The post Agriculture industries start to stabilize, drought conditions still persist appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Despite boasting Missouri’s number one crop in both acreage and monetary value, Missouri Soybeans hasn’t had a major presence at the fair for several years. That will change this time around, MoSoy will have its own set-up in the “Mizzou building” at the state fair, continuing the close relationship between The University of Missouri and MoSoy.

“Soy touches our lives every day,” Baylee Asbury, director of outreach and education for Missouri Soybeans said. “We want to make sure consumers are realizing how much of an impact it has.”

Missouri Soybeans will be all over the fair, complete with revamped branding and a new approach to connecting with consumers. MoSoy will have activities designed to engage young fair-goers and farmers alike in their space at the Mizzou building. The soybean organization will also provide the bio-diesel fuel used to power tram cars that will transport fair-goers around the grounds.

The new branding and approach coincide with the recent launch of MoSoy’s new revamped website. For Missouri Soybeans, the fair will be a tremendous opportunity to increase traffic to its newest tool.

“Our farmers have really invested in our new website and approach,” Asbury said. “They’ve invested, so we need to make sure it’s being used.”

MoSoy’s stand at the fair will be equipped with I-pad stations and QR codes all designed to lead consumers back to the website. The website focuses on making Missouri Soybeans a resource rather than just a farmer organization.

With 1,000s of visitors on the horizon, the state fair will give Missouri Soybeans a massive opportunity to gain momentum with its new branding and increased online presence.

“The Missouri State Fair is a great place for consumers to ask questions face to face,” Matt Wright, president of the Missouri Soybean Association said. “It is also a tremendous opportunity for us to share more about how much we care not only about the products we produce, but also about the land on which we grow them.”

MoSoy overhauled its social media presence last year, well before unveiling the new website.

However, as an organization that primarily supports farmers, Missouri Soybeans is being careful not to abandon the “boots on the ground” approach that is necessary when working in agriculture.

“We will continue to push our online presence, but also our on-the-ground presence,” Asbury said. “Our eyes are set on innovation.”

Featured Image Courtesy of the Missouri State Fair

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Missouri Soybeans increases state fair presence, focuses on online branding appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The new hotline, called the AgriStress Help hotline, is a “free and confidential service available to Missouri producers and rural families seeking mental health support,” according to a press release. The number associated with the 24/7 hotline is (833) 897-2474.

AgriStress is meant to service farmers who are in need of a quick way to access mental health help related to the stress from their farming duties. 

“We know producers take pride in their ability to handle challenging circumstances, which can lead to a stigma around seeking mental health support,” Chris Chinn, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture said. “But, it’s okay to need help. Our goal is to ensure free, confidential support is available for Missouri farmers, ranchers and rural community members through the AgriStress Helpline.”

The hotline has been in the works since earlier this year, when Gov. Mike Parson and the Department of Agriculture began looking for companies to operate a call center. 

The decision came after a troubling survey in 2021 from the American Farm Bureau Federation questioned farmers about their mental health and the stigma surrounding it. The survey allowed the participating farmers to pinpoint the issues they think are causing intense stress in their lives. 

According to the survey, the four biggest stressors that impact farmers’ mental health are financial issues, fear of losing the farm, uncertain future and the state of the farm economy. 

The survey also states that 60% of farmers were experiencing more mental health issues in 2021 than the year before. 

The survey also says that more farmers are becoming aware of the mental health resources available to them and that farmers are utilizing these resources more often. Still, there is still a lot of ground to cover when it comes to making sure farmers are able to seek mental health resources. 

Data shows that rural suicides in Missouri are on a steep incline. According to a joint study that included the Missouri Farm Bureau, the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the University of Missouri, the rate of rural suicide deaths increased by 78% to 21.3 suicides per 100,000 people in 2017.

 “Combined, the latest data from CDC signal the rate of rural suicide deaths in Missouri is 18% higher than the nonrural rate — and it’s growing 50% faster,” the study states.

“Stratified by gender and urbanization, rural males have the highest rate of suicide deaths in the state at 35.6 per 100,000 residents,” the study adds. This statistic is almost double the statewide rate of 18.8 per 100,000

According to the Department of Agriculture, almost 90% of the farms in Missouri are family owned. Many of the farms have been operated through generations of family. Additional stress is added for family-owned farmers, as losing a farm is more than losing a business venture, it means losing land that has been passed along for generations.

The hotline is arriving amid a difficult year for crop farmers and cattlemen. A severe drought in the southern half of the state has forced cattlemen to make hard decisions about culling cattle in the face of a spiraling beef market, causing many to take a severe loss in the middle of the year. 

According to the Department of Agriculture, they have partnered with a group known as Agrisafe, a nonprofit organization that specializes in rural mental healthcare, in order to specialize the AgriStress hotline to suit the needs of farmers and other members of rural communities.

By involving Agrisafe, the department hopes to ensure that the mental health professionals of AgriStress will be more well-suited to serving the needs of rural producers than the average mental health professional.

While not a fix-all solution, there is hope that this hotline will be able to start tearing down some of the mental health inequalities found in rural areas around the state. According to the joint study, all 99 of Missouri’s rural counties have a shortage of mental health professionals.

 The Department of Agriculture has more information on its website here.

If you are suffering a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

Featured Image Courtesy of the Missouri Coalition for Behavioral Healthcare

Kelton Turner

Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022

www.themissouritimes.com

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Drought conditions still persist in many parts of Missouri according to the report, with almost 3/4th of the state experiencing some sort of drought. Parts of Southern Missouri are still experiencing extreme drought conditions.

These conditions are likely to change by next week’s report as parts of Missouri, specifically the St. Louis area, experienced very heavy rains and flash flooding this week. Much-needed rain is also in the forecast for many parts of the state.

The hay crop continues to see some issues, following its troubling trend from the last report.

According to the report, 90% of the state’s hay has been cut. This is mostly due to persisting drought conditions, which has led many hay growers to cut their hay earlier than usual.

There is no hay shortage, supplies remain moderate and hay is relatively easy to access for those that did not grow or did not grow enough.

The cattle market also continues to see its fair share of issues as well. The amount of culled cattle in the state continues to rise according to the report. This rise is mostly due to weather conditions, as cattlemen cull their livestock at the market to ensure they can feed their herd over the coming fall and winter months.

The report also includes information regarding some of Missouri’s biggest crop markets.

Soybean bids are showing a slight climb in bid prices after dropping sharply for a few days straight. The bids for soybeans for the month have been very volatile.

Wheat bids have sharply declined over the past few days after a brief period of climbing. Wheat saw a steep decline two weeks ago, like soybeans, wheat has been very volatile in July.

Corn bids have been on a steady decline for most of the month, this week’s report is no exception.

Overall, the bids for Missouri’s crops are on the decline and have been for a large portion of the month.

Overall, the report is a look into how a summer drought has negatively affected some of Missouri’s largest industries and their relationships with each other. Hay and cattle are still in turmoil, although the full effects of the summer heat have yet to be seen.

The next weekly report will also include data that takes into account this week’s intense rainfall and even flooding in some areas, which will surely affect some of the agriculture industries in the state.

If you are in need of hay, go to the Department of Agriculture’s hay directory.

Featured Image Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Kelton Turner

Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022

www.themissouritimes.com

The post Summer drought spurs decline in Missouri’s agriculture industries appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The Farm Bureau called out Invenergy, the owner of the Grain Belt Express transmission line project, for trying to skirt the new eminent domain laws laid out in House Bill 2005.

The Grain Belt Express transmission line has been a source of conflict for nearly ten years including in 2019 when the Missouri Public Service Commission gave the project eminent domain authority to build its new power line after previously rejecting their application.

Invenergy acquired the project in 2018 but did not draft the original plans.

In response to eminent domain concerns stemming from the project, the Missouri legislature passed HB 2005 during the spring session. HB 2005 sets new rules for eminent domain proceedings during transmission line projects.

Among other things, HB 2005 sets a floor of compensation for Missouri landowners who go through eminent domain proceedings. The compensation promised is 150% of “fair market value,” a figure that will be determined by the courts.

However, many stakeholders were disappointed to see that HB 2005’s rules do not apply retroactively, the law does not take effect until Aug. 28. This means that the Grain Belt Express transmission line, the original source of eminent domain concern, is not beholden to HB 2005’s provisions.

The Chicago-based energy company plans to build an addition to the Grain Belt Express in Mid-Missouri, called the Tiger Connector. Invenergy claims the connector will bring significant energy benefits to Missouri, connecting its transmission line to existing power infrastructure in Callaway County. The project is expected to bring 5x more energy to Missouri from the Grain Belt Express, according to Invenergy’s website.

The groups put out a press release on the situation Thursday afternoon. 

Grain Belt was originally attempting to claim that the Tiger Connector Line was simply an extension of the original line and not a new project. The alleged attempt to skirt the new law happened earlier in July, according to Garrett Hawkins, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau.

“It all comes down to the timing of the announcement. And the timing of their most recent filing, you see that they had made a request with the Public Service Commission in July to amend the existing case,” Hawkins said. “The PSC denied that and now has said a new file will be created. So that filing within the PSC led farmers and landowners to believe that Invenergy was trying to get ahead of this new law taking effect.”

“This will play out within the Public Service Commission,” Hawkins added. “In the meantime, we believe Invenergy on its own can do the right thing by acknowledging publicly that they intend to adhere to the provisions embodied in HB 2005.”

In response, Invenergy released a statement Friday morning.

“We plan to honor these wishes by compensating Grain Belt Express Tiger Connector landowners at 150% of fair market value for easement payments while also designing the project to be capable of delivering half of the line’s capacity to Missouri,” the statement reads.

Statement from Grain Belt Express in response to the letter from @MOFarmBureau and other MO ag groups.#moleg@LtGovMikeKehoe@Eric_Schmitt@DaveSchatzMO@calebrowden@BeanSenate@RobVescovo@deanplocher@MissouriPSC pic.twitter.com/U7526Aj1qY

— Invenergy (@InvenergyLLC) July 22, 2022

The Farm Bureau and other agriculture groups aren’t so sure about Invenergy’s promises.

“Unfortunately, we have been given no reason to take their words to heart,” Mike Deering, executive vice president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association said. “The relationship has been mired with deception and outright lies to landowners. While this news is encouraging — you’ve got to show me.”

Hawkins was pleased to see the announcement but doesn’t plan to let up on the Invenergy going forward.

“It’s encouraging to see Grain Belt announce that they will follow the law,” Hawkins said. “This will be a situation of trust, but verify and you can count on members of the Missouri Farm Bureau to be at the public meetings on the project.”

Rep. Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, sponsored HB 2005 through the House during spring session. He believes that legislators would be willing to take action should Grain Belt Express circumvent the law.

“There are a lot of Reps and Senators that are very concerned about what’s taken place,” Haffner said. “I’ll be watching the proceedings in the PSC very closely.”

Featued Image: Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins on “This Week in Missouri Politics.”

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Grain Belt Express promises to follow eminent domain law, agriculture groups skeptical appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Parson signed the order Wednesday afternoon at a press conference flanked by Chris Chinn, Dru Buntin and Sara Parker Pauley; the directors of the Missouri departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Conservation respectively.

The executive order will call together the three departments to form the Drought Assessment Committee and decide the best course of action for drought relief.

Parson urged proactivity as the Southern part of the state faces severe drought. According to the federal state drought tracker, around 50% of Missouri is experiencing a moderate drought with over half of that 50% experiencing a severe drought. The drought spreads from Oregon to Boone Counties, covering a vast swath of the state.

“As a farmer myself, I know the heartache a drought can bring, especially in the middle of July,” Parson said at the press conference. “We’ve learned from past experience, the more proactive we are, the better we can help our farmers and citizens lessen the impact of even the most severe droughts.”

The departments of Natural Resouces and Conservation will work together to provide water to farmers supplied from state parks and conservation areas.

Missouri farmers have faced an uphill battle all year, facing high fertilizer and fuel costs. A drought of this scale enveloping the southern portion of the state could have dire economic impacts for many farmers.

The drought is impacting the cattle indrustry particularly hard, forcing cattlemen to decide between culling their cows now and selling into a saturated market or hope for enough rain to produce sufficient hay for cattle feeding.

“Livestock producers are having to make difficult decisions about selling livestock because there is no pasture in many areas. Grain farmers are watching their crops wither before pollination. Conditions are difficult for many Missouri farmers and ranchers,” Chinn said.

Parson suspended administrative rules and offered some avenues to financial relief for Missouri farmers. No specific spending or program for drought relief was announced besides the formation of the Drought Assessment Committee and a special session of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission on July 25.

Parson and the three directors stressed the importance of community assistance to administration during times of drought, helping the state monitor the drought and provide assistance accuractely and efficiently.

“Our partners are doing a great job helping us assess drought conditions across Missouri,” Buntin said. “We’re also relying on help from our citizens in reporting and submitting photographs of the conditions they’re seeing locally.”

Citizens can report drought conditions to the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports system.

The Parson administration doesn’t see drought conditions improving soon. Regardless of when the rains come, Parson stressed the importance of continued support to farmers through the coming months.

“This will not go away with the first rains that come,” Parson said. “This will affect these farmers in the fall, it will affect them in the winter becuase of the conditions … anytime you’re feeding livestock in July in a great amount, you know that’s problematic.”

The administration doesn’t see as much of a threat to drinking water as there was in the 2018 drought that rocked most of Northern Missouri. Southern Missouri’s access to natural water sources is expected to curb the danger of that possibillity. Parson did encourage “common sense” when it came to citizen water conservation, especially in Southern and Mid-Missouri, the hardest hit areas.

The Governor has reached out to U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt to see what federal resources may be available to the state.

“The persistent drought conditions we’re seeing in many parts of the state are a huge concern for farm families. We need to be sure farmers and producers are able to recover quickly, especially given the global food challenges we’re facing,” Blunt said in an email exchange with the Missouri Times. “I will continue to be in touch with Governor Parson, Directors Chinn and Pauley, and other state and local officials to help support response efforts.”

Featured Image Courtesy of the National Drought Mitigation Center

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Parson signs executive order, Missouri’s drought response goes into action appeared first on The Missouri Times.

According to the state drought monitor, the southern portion of the state and a swath of the middle portion have been classified as abnormally dry, or dealing with a “moderate drought”. Parts of Carter, Oregon, Ripley and Howell counties, which sit on the Missouri-Arkansas border, have been classified as dealing with severe drought.

63% of the state is showing signs of drought. 

The drought has had effects on hay growth in particular, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s weekly market report released earlier this week. The hay market itself is still stable, with hay not being too hard to find or buy. 

The real issue is that many farmers use the hay they cut to feed their livestock, including cattle.

“The bad part is dryness is causing some (cattlemen) to either already think of feeding something now or the more common solution is starting to cull cows and reducing herd size,” the report states.

This statement echoes the problem many cattlemen are facing across the state this summer. Should they cut hay and cull their herd? Or, should they wait for the possibility of more rain to cut hay later and keep their herd population?

For many farmers, it can be a tough choice. 

The cattle market has become oversaturated with supply. An influx of culling cows from neighboring states also experiencing drought and the high number of cattle being culled within Missouri borders has caused the market to take a significant hit. This makes culling cattle a risky, and potentially costly choice. 

“Many producers are being forced to reduce herd size as there just isn’t enough grass to maintain inventory levels, and feeding this early in the year isn’t feasible given lower hay production,” the report states. “The market took a big hit mid-week.”

Waiting for rain can be just as risky, as the drought has shown no signs of letting up in some parts of the state. 

“There have certainly been years, without question, when people have had to start feeding hay in August. But to start feeding hay in June or the first of July, that’s pretty tough,” Christi Miller, communications director with the Missouri Department of Agriculture said. Miller and her Husband raise cattle in Miller County, near Eldon

“That’s hard to keep going all year long. If you’ve got to start feeding your hay and then hope that it lasts all through the winter — so that’s pretty tough,” she added.

Miller and the Department of Agriculture are aware of the difficult decision many cattlemen are facing in parts of the state. The choice to cull their cattle and sell for cheap in a saturated market or risk running out of food for their bovines.

“So now you have to make that decision — Do you feed hay? Do you find find a place where there is grass, something to feed those cows or do you send them?” Miller said. “The market is not quite as good, so nobody wants to give their cattle away. When there’s a rush on the market prices drop, so that’s a challenge for our producers too.”

When asked about what a farmer should do when faced with an ugly reality such as this, Miller invoked the classic philosophy many farmers are known for. Their optimism in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. 

“Farmers are the ultimate optimists, right? We’re the eternal optimist, whether we put a seed in the ground or we breed cows, or whatever we do, we’re always eternal optimists,” she said. “We’re in it because we love it. I mean, people in agriculture do it because they love it or you don’t stay in it for very long. So we certainly love it, but it is difficult decisions.”

The fix to the problem may not be as simple as getting a few inches of rain on any given day. While a big one-day downpour would be welcome, it would take a longer, sustained period of rainfall to produce an amount of hay that would put farmers’ minds at ease, Miller said.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture offers a hay directory, available to any farmer that needs hay. The purpose of the directory is to help any farmer in need of hay by helping them find available hay close to them. While not a fix-all solution, the directory is still a valuable resource to get hay to farmers that need it, and possibly save them from having to make hard decisions.

Gov. Parson is also stepping in, which is no surprise considering the former Polk County Sherriff owns and operates a cattle operation near Bolivar, Mo., in the southwest region of the state.

“​​This administration, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Conservation are watching the drought situation across Missouri very closely,” Parson said. “We are ready to act if the situation worsens. As a farmer, I know the harmful effects a drought can have on farmers and Missouri agri-businesses, and as Governor, I will do what I can to assist in any way possible.”

The new drought index for Missouri will release later this week, providing new data on the ongoing conditions. The trend doesn’t seem to be stopping, as heat and dry weather are predicted to rage on through the end of the summer.

Editor’s Note: Gov. Parson announced a press conference regarding the drought at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The press conference will be held in the Governor’s Office in the Capitol building and will take place Thursday at 2 p.m.

Featured Image: Courtesy: Gov. Parson Facebook

The post Missouri’s drought forces cattlemen to make tough decisions, Parson “ready to act if situation worsens” appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Senate District (SD) 20’s seat will be left for the taking as would-be incumbent Sen. Eric Burlison, R-Greene County, leaves to seek election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The district, which is comprised mostly of the suburbs and rural areas around Springfield, has some areas that lean Democrat, but is on the whole strongly Republican.

Burlison won election to the Senate by a landslide in 2018, garnering nearly 74% of the vote. Six of the eight House Districts in Greene County are occupied by Republicans.

The district was heavily impacted by redistricting. Prior to redistricting SD 20 entirely encircled Springfield, including the Southern suburb of Nixa, Mo. within its boundaries.

The district now sprawls over the Northern part of Springfield’s metropolitan area, stretching as far west as to include Lamar, Mo., and as far east as to include Marshfield, Mo.

An interesting two-man race has developed in the Republican primary for SD 20. A proven legislator, Rep. Curtis Trent of Springfield, and a Springfield businessman with strong fundraising numbers, Brian Gelner, have thrown their hats into the ring to represent SD 20.

No Democrats are running in the district, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission, meaning the Republican primary in SD 20 essentially serves as the general election.

Rep. Curtis Trent

Trent starts off campaign season with political pedigree and connections to SD 20. Trent has polled well with area voters, garnering over 60% of the vote in his three successful elections to represent House District (HD) 133.

Trent will be glad to see that all of HD 133 falls within SD 20 even after redistricting.

Trent comes with six years of legislative experience in the House dealing with a variety of issues. Trent sees himself as a generalist with experience in various forms of legislation and thinks that would bode well for him as a Senator.

“It’s what I’ve already been doing, I’ve already touched on a wide range of issues. And so I think it’d be a natural feel from that viewpoint,” Trent said. “You have to deal with pretty much every issue in the Senate, far more than you do in the House.”

Trent served as the Chairman of the General Laws Committee in the House for two years, giving him familiarity with a wide range of issues.

Trent has focused on that generalist approach in his platform, citing his previous policy and legislation to let voters know where he stands. Though his main platform focus is business.

“I want to make sure that Missouri has a favorable business environment, through things like port reform and tax reform, make sure that we’re able to attract good, family-supporting jobs to our area. Both manufacturing and agriculture,” Trent said. “I grew up on a small family farm. My dad was a mechanic. So I grew up in a small farm-small business environment. I know what it’s like for families to struggle to make ends meet. And I know how hard inflation and other problems from (Washington) D.C. are affecting Missouri families.”

“I believe that we should use the Missouri Senate to mitigate the worst effects of D.C. mismanagement. And that’s the perspective I want to bring to Missouri’s Senate,” he added.

Trent relayed the sentiment of wanting to work with everyone in the Republican caucus as well as getting away from the personal attacks that have plagued the upper chamber in recent sessions.

“I try to be a consensus builder. I try to be someone who’s respectful and listens to and engages in dialogue with other individuals who have different views,” Trent said. “I think that people like that style, and would like to see more of that kind of style.”

Trent is expected to do well in grassroots campaigning given his history in the area. However, Trent was slightly outraised by Gelner during the second quarter, despite getting significantly more support from Political Action Committees (PAC).

Trent received 16 contributions from PACs in the second quarter, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission. This dwarfs Gelner’s six PAC contributions in the same time period.

Regardless of what campaign contributions might say, Trent thinks he connects to the average voter in SD 20 very easily.

“In my experience, going door to door, and talking to people and seeing the makeup of the district, I think the district is very conservative,” Trent said. “I think that is the voter base that you have to prevail with in order to win — the folks that are very conservative, they’re very concerned about the direction of the country.”

“I share all those concerns. That’s my record in the House, fighting on all those issues. I think I’m a perfect fit politically for the community concerns and the values of the people of the 20th district.”

Trent’s Campaign Finances

Second Quarter Contributions: $51,075.00

Debts: None

Cash on Hand: $78,265.00

Biggest Contributor: Ozark Gateway Leadership PAC, $2,500

417 PAC Second Quarter Contributions: $38,750.00

417 PAC Cash on Hand: $41,140.49

Brian Gelner

Gelner is the political outsider in this race. A successful businessman, Gelner is the owner and president of Heart of America Beverage and Crown Distributing, both businesses specialize in beverage distribution.

Gelner was galvanized to join the SD 20 race after growing unhappy with dysfunction in politics. Gelner specifically highlighted the dysfunction in the Missouri Senate during a contentious Spring session, characterized by bickering between the Senate’s conservative caucus and the rest of the Republican supermajority.

“Politics is so dysfunctional right now, (Washington) D.C. is a complete disaster. Jeff City is getting worse and worse,” Gelner said. “Obviously, this year in Jefferson City, the Senate was unfunctional. At best.”

“I do tell everyone, there’s a 0% chance I’ll join the conservative caucus — not because I’m not conservative — but I just think they were self-serving and caused a lot of problems this year. That’s not good for Missouri, in the long term,” he added.

Gelner brings a multi-faceted platform, focusing on workforce development, tax reform, rural infrastructure and education.

“The 20th district has a lot of rural parts to it, I think we need to be looking at broadband expansions, I think that would be something that would help those people out. Obviously, access to health care is another,” Gelner said. “In these rural communities, if you have access to health care, if you have broadband, you have the opportunity to get a lot of people moved out there.”

Gelner views the telehealth system as a great opportunity to provide equitable health care access to rural constituents.

“I think telehealth is a big opportunity in the Springfield area. Mercy and Cox are the two big hospital systems. And I’ve talked to both of them about how they’re trying to access more telehealth — that could be through schools, it could be through clinics, or other things. I think that’s an opportunity for sure,” Gelner said.

“We need to realize there are no silver bullets on any of these answers. These are all very complex problems we have. So I think we need to be looking at a lot of different things and see what works and not be afraid to try something new. And if it doesn’t work, then obviously we readjust to go back from there,” he added.

Gelner views himself as a people person, and thinks he can work across the aisle to achieve many of his legislative goals. He thinks his experience as the Chairman of the National Beer Sellers Association has given him the ability to listen to different ideas and accomplish goals cohesively.

“Things like workforce development, I think that would go across both party lines,” Gelner said. “We need more investments in the OTCs of the world, two-year schools, trade schools, a whole bunch of different organizations like that.”

The people-person approach may be working out for Gelner. He’s consistently out-raised his competition despite getting less PAC support. A glance at Gelner’s second quarter campaign finance filing shows many more individual contributions than Trent, though his biggest monetary contributions still come from PACS.

“I’ve done well in fundraising and I was told early on that grassroots was my competitor’s strength … I feel like our grassroots has really come on the last month,” Gelner said. “We’ve got the door knocking going full-blown, and a lot of people want to help me in a lot of different directions besides just money. So I do feel really excited that — I feel like I’ve closed that gap, if not taking the lead in grassroots.”

Gelner’s Campaign Finances

Second quarter contributions: $56,226.00

Debts: None

Cash on Hand: $236,997.16

Biggest Contributor: eight-way tie, four PACS, four individual donors, $2,400 each

Missouri Common Sense PAC Second Quarter Contributions: $31,000.00

PAC Cash on Hand: $118,476.00

All campaign finance information courtesy of the Missouri Ethics Commission

Featured Image Courtesy of @Missouri_Mapper on Twitter

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

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