If you haven't noticed already, MFA's Internet website has gotten a major facelift. As of Jan. 1, 2001, MFA's new information-rich website has been serving and informing its customers. Product information, calculators, production tips, Today's Farmer articles, corporate information and a store directory are all available on the site--and it's still growing.

Now MFA customers have access to MFA products and solutions 24 hours a day. As of Jan. 1, 2001, MFA's new website (www.mfa-inc.com) has been helping customers explore information about MFA products, programs and the company itself.

"Like anything else we do, we did this to benefit our customers," said David Jobe, senior vice president of corporate operations and Internet project director. "We did it to increase MFA's service. We hope it will make it easier for customers to do business with us. And we hope it provides more information to our farmers so that they will be able to make better decisions."

Keith Schnarre, farmer from Centralia, Mo., and MFA board chairman, said the website is full of good information that he uses daily on his farm. "MFA has really got something going with this website," he said. "The website is a great two-way communication tool between the company and the producer."

Information everywhere
Chances are there is something on MFA's new website that will interest you, too. Farmer focus groups were held last summer to help the company determine what information and features would most benefit them. After talking to various groups and obtaining organizational help from an outside Internet consultant, Marcia Reagan, manager of creative and Internet services, designed and developed the overall website.

"The most current issue of Today's Farmer and links to seasonal hot topics will always be on MFA's home page," said Reagan. "And I've designed lots of doors and windows to help people get to other subjects they want quickly."

After getting to the home page, visitors can search, choose a topic from a pull-down menu or select one of four general categories--livestock, agronomy, Today's Farmer and cooperative. Under these categories users can find information about seed varieties, agronomy tips, fertilizer recommendations, precision farming, cattle marketing, feed programs and management, current and back issues of Today's Farmer, company media releases, job openings, MFA history, company management and how to contact MFA about various topics.

"After visiting this website, people will have a good idea of what MFA is all about," said Reagan. "It will be the one central place where producers can go to access current information they need about MFA and the products and services it provides.

"I'm really proud of what we have put out there on the website so far," said Jobe.

Store websites
And that's not all. In addition to the corporate website, some store locations throughout MFA's territory are putting up their own websites. These websites can be accessed by going to the Store Directory heading on MFA's corporate home page.

The directory has the address and phone number of every MFA agri services center and affiliated location. The stores that have a website will have a link to their own website under their listing. Currently, the Centralia, Lexington, Laddonia, Trenton and Mexico stores have websites.

Reagan has worked with DTN to develop an application that allows the retail stores to manage and maintain the store websites themselves. The store websites are supplied with information from DTN and MFA's corporate website. The stores can include their own individual information to the website as well.

"Hooking up with DTN got us down the road a lot faster than we would have gotten without them," said Jobe. "They were a good choice to go with because most producers are familiar with them, and they are in the same industry we are."

"DTN provides the market quotes, weather and news on our site," said Bill Coen, general manager of the Centralia MFA Agri Services Center. "Marcia [Reagan] has helped us put sales information, grain commentary and local cash bids on our website. All we have to do is keep it updated every day."

Coen said his daily manager's comments, local store news, weather and grain bids are the most popular features on the site so far. And he said customers are starting to show an interest in the classified ad section he has started.

Schnarre said the Centralia site is something he looks at almost every day. He said having both the local and national market information on the site is really helpful. He often goes to the other local store locations to see what the markets are doing across the state, too. With the local weather on the site and information about specials or discounts at the Centralia store, he said the website is just a few features away from becoming the primary location he goes to on a daily basis. "With a few more features, I could see where there may not be a need for my DTN anymore," he said.

"The website is an excellent way to communicate with our customers on a daily basis," said Coen. "And they can communicate back to us through e-mail if they want. It works really well."

The future
"Before we started anything, we made sure we were developing the groundwork for future developments that would work with the rapid changes of technology," said Don Copenhaver, president and CEO of MFA. "We have done that, and we continue to look at new technology."

The company has almost completed the first of three phases it has planned for its Internet project. In the immediate future, the company plans on installing computer equipment and software to the remaining store locations that don't have Internet access yet. Getting all of the locations up and running on the Internet is a priority.

Then the company plans on launching a company-wide intranet. The intranet site will be accessible only by MFA home office and store employees. When completed, the intranet site will have a message board where employees in the home office will be able to post daily news and program information to the retail stores. This will eliminate printing, paper and postage costs. Also, various company manuals and other information will be available to employees whenever they need to access it.

"A lot of people are going to be able to clean out a lot of files in their desks when the intranet becomes available," said Jobe. "Employees then will be able to access any information they need on the computer."

Copenhaver said the initial intranet efforts are focusing on the areas that will create more efficiencies within the company, cutting back on costs and employee time.

Of value to customers
More information on both the corporate website and individual store websites is being added all the time, too. "We will always be adding and always improving the site," said Jobe. "It will never be done. It will continue to change."

And right now the company is watching how well e-businesses are doing over the Internet. Eventually MFA may sell some products through the website.

But no matter how involved MFA becomes in selling products over the Internet, Copenhaver said MFA's service and expertise would still be available for it customers.

"MFA has and always will be a service-oriented company. I think that's one of the advantages we have over companies that only have a virtual presence," he said. "Our honesty, integrity and service are valuable to our customers. But both our virtual and physical presences can go hand-in-hand in serving our customer/owners.

"In all that we do, we have to keep the customer in mind," said Copenhaver. "We wanted a website that had relevant information on it--something that could be of economic value to our customers. I think we have done that with this website."