I was pleased to be back in the Bootheel for the 64th Field Day at Mizzou’s T.E. “Jake” Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center (FD-REEC). This annual event in Portageville, Mo. brings together state and federal leaders, producers and community members to celebrate the center’s incredible impact.

Fisher Delta continues to add state-of-the-art resources – including the Roy Blunt Soil Testing and Research Laboratory, a renovation to our cotton lab and a soybean molecular breeding lab – to strengthen agriculture in the Bootheel and beyond. Field Day is an incredible opportunity to highlight this ongoing growth, honor community accomplishments (including Century Farm families) and express our gratitude to supporters.

I want to thank all the leaders who joined us, including Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, U.S. Congressman Jason Smith, Mo. Senator Jason Bean, Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn and Missouri Farm Bureau President Garret Hawkins. Many university leaders were also in attendance, including Curators Lyda Krewson and John Raines. Curator Raines is from the Bootheel and shared his deep connection to the center’s mission and outreach.

Each year, Fisher Delta receives over 500 calls from local producers and provides personal, research-backed assistance with the agronomic issues they face. We’re proud to partner with local communities throughout Missouri to support our state’s ag workforce and economy.

— Mun