Agriculture specialists, farmers, agri-businesses, politicians make event unique

University of Missouri graduate student researcher Jim Heiser discusses the value of herbicides Wednesday at the Delta Research Center Field Day at Portageville. [Click to enlarge]

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- A who's who of politicians and respected agriculture specialists were on hand here Wednesday at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center Field Day.

Jake Fisher, the facility's superintendent, said more than 600 people attended the event's breakfast, and he anticipated feeding lunch to approximately 1,500.

"This Field Day shows the latest research performed by our project leaders," Fisher said. "This is the largest event of its kind in the region.

Missouri state Rep. Terry Swinger, D-Caruthersville, left, and U.S. Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, discuss issues regarding rice exports Wednesday at the Delta Research Center Field Day at Portageville. [Click to enlarge]

"The Delta Center Advisory Board sponsors the appreciation breakfast," the superintendent continued. "People who didn't show up missed seeing state and federal politicians. We have four different tours going on. The researchers are out in the field at their plots telling people about the research."

One such scientist, University of Missouri graduate student Jim Heiser, discussed weeds and researchers' efforts aimed at controlling them in rice fields.

"Having rice fields flooded every year and keeping them in the monoculture of rice can lead to these new weeds creeping up," he said. "They've probably always been there.

Riceland Foods, Inc., Vice Chairman of the Board Roger E. Pohlner, left, and Missouri state Rep. Otto Bean, Jr., share smiles Wednesday at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center Field Day at Portageville. [Click to enlarge]

"But after several years, the seed bank gets filled up," he added. "All of a sudden you have a big problem."

He said farmers that use Propanil, a time-tested herbicide, achieve greater success regarding crop yield.

"It's a good herbicide," Heiser said. "It works.

University of Missouri Life Sciences Center Senior Associate Director Dr. G. Michael Chippendale, left, and Delta Research Center Superintendent Jake Fisher at the center's 44th annual Field Day Wednesday. The event was dedicated to Chippendale. [Click to enlarge]

"It does its job," he added. "That's why it's been around so long."

State Rep. Terry Swinger, D-Caruthersville, said the event fostered a greater understanding of agri-issues specific to Southeast Missouri and the Delta.

"There are certain things that everybody agrees on," Swinger said. "Agriculture is one of them.

University of Missouri Assistant Research Professor Brian Ottis lectures Wednesday at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center Field Day at Portageville. [Click to enlarge]

"It doesn't make any difference what side of the aisle you're on," he continued. "It's all bi-partisan. Everybody wants the economy to grow. Everybody is pro-agriculture. This center right here promotes research and does an excellent job. It's one thing that brings cohesiveness to the process because we all support doing everything we can for our largest industry."

Swinger said he was joined at the event by a number of his House colleagues, including state Reps. Lanie Black, R-Charleston; Peter Myers, R-Sikeston; Rachel Storch, D-St. Louis; Jack Jackson, R-Wildwood; Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill; and Otto Bean, Jr., R-Holcomb.

"State Senators Dan Clemens and Rob Mayer are here," Swinger said. "The governor [Matt Blunt] and lieutenant governor [Peter Kinder] were here.

Dr. David Dunn reviews phosphorus as it relates to rice nutrition Wednesday at the Delta Research Center Field Day. [Click to enlarge]

"We have members of Congress here," he said. "One of the most important issues that will be discussed today is ethanol, so it's good that folks with offices on Capitol Hill are here. We need to be growing our fuels in our fields and not being so dependent on foreign oil. Thirty percent of our oil was imported when Jimmy Carter was president. Now it's 60 percent. So it's wonderful that everybody is placing emphasis on renewable fuels."

U.S. Sen. Jim Talent, R-Chesterfield., who sits on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee; the Armed Services Committee; the Energy and Natural Resources Committee; and the Aging Committee, said Field Day is a learning experience for everyone who attends, regardless of their professions or vocations.

"First of all, this is just a lot of fun," he said of Field Day. "You always learn a lot.

"This is great because everybody gets a chance to get together and compare notes about what we need to do for Bootheel agriculture in the future," the senator added. "It's really indispensable."

Talent was successful in crafting a renewable fuels bill that calls for the production of 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol annually by 2012, and provides financial assistance or tax incentives for such producers.

"What we're doing is ensuring very significant demand for ethanol and bio-diesel in the future," he said. "This makes it, I think, much more likely that we can get a [ethanol] plant at Malden, or the Bootheel.

"We need one here," he said of a bio-fuel plant in the area. "When you look at what we're producing here, it doesn't make any sense that we don't have ethanol and bio-diesel plants in Southeast Missouri. So, we're all going to work to establish that. I think we can. Missouri is a leader in that, and the Bootheel is a leader in Missouri."

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, heaped praise on the Delta Center, its researchers and employees.

"The staff here under Jake Fisher are really next to none," she said. "There is no better institution, in my opinion, doing better research than the Delta Research Center.

"They are awesome," she added. "When I come down and visit, which is a fair amount, I sit and talk with the researchers in charge of their specific areas. I've never ceased to be impressed with their ingenuity, their creativity and the sheer dedication of these scientists in trying to find ways to eradicate the use of pesticides, herbicides and to create a crop that is safe and abundant."

Emerson said the future of agribusiness lies in value-added agriculture.

"Whether it's using ethanol, soy-diesel, any kind of bio-fuels for energy production -- those are the ones from an energy policy perspective that will get us away from dependence on oil from the Middle East and from Venezuela and will make us energy independent," she said. "At the same time, we can do something to not only give our American producers new opportunities to continue in agriculture, but to create opportunities for their children and grandchildren to get involved in agriculture.

"There's nothing better, I think, than the use of renewable fuels," Emerson continued. "Renewable is key. There is not a finite supply like there is with oil. It's a win-win for us. We just need to get an ethanol plant and a soy-diesel plant around here pretty soon. While we are the most prolific and most prestigious area for agriculture in the state, we're the one area that doesn't have that added value, and we have lots of people working on it. We've got a lot of work still to do."

The legislator said opening new markets is another important issue for growers, specifically, a new trade policy with Cuba.

"Back in 2000, we changed the law to allow one-way trade with Cuba," she said. "In other words, we can sell to Cuba as long as they pay in cash and in advance for the commodities we sell to them.

"Nobody really thought that was going to pan out," she added. "To date we have sold $1.3 billion worth of commodities and processed foods. Cold hard cash. It's an awesome tribute to our producers."

However, the Bush administration changed the regulations governing how this trade is financed, Emerson said.

"We lost an opportunity last spring to sell 400 metric tons of rice," she said. "We lost it to Thailand and Vietnam.

"However, I'm pleased to say that after a little bit of nudging on the part of some of us with the Cuban government, that they just committed to purchase 130,000 metric tons of rice this week," she added. "Half of it is already contracted for and paid for. So I think maybe after that initial problem, with the change in our regulations, that one, the Cuban government thinks that perhaps we are a good, reliable supplier, and two, that we do produce the best rice in the world. Therefore, they want it."

The representative added that still, the U.S. needs to open even more markets.

"There is no excuse that the No. 1 importer of rice, back before we slapped an embargo on them, was Cuba," Emerson said. "We've been successful in opening up the Iraqi market, to some extent.

"Not as much as much as we need to," she continued. "But we've got our foot in the door. It's our responsibility as legislators, and the administration's responsibility to not to put any impediments in the way of new markets. It's the only way agriculture is going to be able to continue to exist and it's the only way we will be able to continue to feed the world, like we do today."

Bean said the Delta Research Center Field Day was equivalent to reunions of sorts.

"Agri-technology changes all the time," the state representative said. "The Delta Center and the University of Missouri keeps us updated on technology all the time.

"It's refreshing to us as farmers, because things have changed so much since I started farming," he added. "I can remember the mule days. I can remember farmers hollering, 'Run away!' because the mules were taking off. Now, we're going 12 and 16 rows. Two of the reasons we've progressed are the Delta Center and the University of Missouri. This is our link, in Southeast Missouri, to the University of Missouri."

Bill J. Reed, Riceland Foods, Inc., vice president for corporate communications and public affairs, said his job begins at harvest.

"We market over half of the rice in Missouri," he said. "We do that into the domestic market, as well as into the foreign market.

"We have facilities at Kennett, Poplar Bluff, Dudley and of course the rice mill at New Madrid," he continued. "Congresswoman Emerson mentioned the business with Cuba. The rice mill at New Madrid is perfectly situated on the Mississippi River, I-55, and we have the rail service. It gives us the opportunity to move the rice in the Bootheel into the market, whether its for the domestic or export market."

Reed said that because of Hurricane Katrina's devastation south, he isn't sure how moving rice into the domestic market will work for the company.

"I'm sure we'll get past that eventually and continue to market the farmers' crops here."