Closing in on 30 years - Cotton Producers Annual Meeting

As it begins to close in on its 30th year, the Cotton Producers of Missouri organization is preparing to host its annual membership meeting at the American Legion Building in Kennett on, Saturday, March 20, 2010. Registration will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a dinner at 6:30 p.m. Producers say the event is an opportunity to get together and have a relaxed evening and socialize.

Once again, this year's meeting will be followed by a Cotton Fashion Show, showcasing clothing that is made from cotton. Models for the show run the age gamut from preschool to high school, each one from a local family.

Entertainment will also be featured during the show. Last year, Hunter Sutton, son of Holly Maddox and Jarrad Sutton of Kennett, performed as rock icon Elvis Presley as the models took to the catwalk to show off their duds.

The history of the Cotton Producers of Missouri is one that is deeply rooted into the community.

Six local cotton producers and ginners are recognized as the Cotton Producers of Missouri's "founding fathers," including H.W. "Pete" Droke, George Paul Harris, David Harris, Max Ray Moore, Cyril Owen, and Charles Parker. Droke, of Hornersville was elected as the organization's first president.

In the early days, the producers held meetings in the back room of a cotton gin. Those meetings later evolved into a viable, influential organization that is respected by its peers.

The organization was developed due to a need for such a group that was geared to the interests of the Bootheel cotton industry, with original discussions for a group dated around 1980.

The beginning days of the organization saw the founders spending long hours of one-on-one discussion with fellow farmers, as well as holding educational meetings throughout the area to explain the need for such an organization and to gather support.

Although the group began small, today, the Cotton Producers of Missouri includes more than 300 cotton producers, gin operators, agricultural suppliers, agricultural chemical and seed dealers, and others connected with the production, marketing, and related fields of the cotton industry.

Missouri Farm Bureau President Charles Kruse, a Stoddard County farmer, also had a key role in founding the Cotton Producers of Missouri.

At the time, Kruse represented an agricultural chemical company, BASF, and was asked if his firm would be interested in sponsoring some of the farmer meetings, which included a meal. Kruse liked the idea of the organization so much that he volunteered to cover all costs for such meetings.

Due to this public relations blitz, the Cotton Producers of Missouri was officially organized in 1981, and later added cotton producers from Northeast Arkansas.

Today, the organization not only commands the attention and respect of state and federal lawmakers and officials, but other industry organizations such as the National Cotton Council, Cotton Board, and Cotton Inc. Many Cotton Producers of Missouri members have served on national and regional cotton industry boards.

The Cotton Producers of Missouri is a certified producer organization, meaning that it is approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As such, it is able to make nominations of individuals to national cotton trade organizations.

The organization has no political affiliation or agenda, nor does it make political or other endorsements; however, its members do work closely with elected officials on the local, state, and national levels on agriculture-related issues and any issue that would impact the agricultural industry directly or indirectly.