Not long after the Missouri Senate confirmed Lowell Mohler as the director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, we talked with him. Here's what he had to say about the agricultural industry in Missouri.

When Gov. Bob Holden went looking for a director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, he didn't have to go far. He found a man equally at home in the rows of a cornfield as in the halls of government in Jefferson City.

Lowell Mohler brings a lot of farm leadership experience to his job. He grew up on a farm in Missouri and graduated from the Oregon, Mo., high school. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree in meat technology. He joined the staff of the National Livestock and Meat Board in Chicago, then was named assistant director of marketing for the Kansas Board of Agriculture.

In 1966, Mohler became marketing director for the Missouri Department of Agriculture. In 1970, he went to work for Missouri Farm Bureau and for the next 26 years served as chief administrator and corporate secretary.

He retired from Missouri Farm Bureau in 1996. Mohler, now 64, should feel at home again. Missouri Farm Bureau for years occupied the office building that now houses the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Lowell and JoAnn Mohler live on their 200-acre farm, just up-river from Jefferson City. They grow corn and soybeans, and have a sizeable asparagus and sweet corn production. The Mohlers have two sons, one daughter and seven grandchildren. When Lowell can find the time, he likes to fish, hunt elk and turkeys, and ski.

Today's Farmer: What have you been doing the past five years, since you retired from Missouri Farm Bureau?

Mohler: I haven't spent a lot of time sitting in the rocking chair. I've served on several committees and commissions such as the State Fair Commission, where I'm currently still chairman. As MDA director, I'll remain a member of the commission, but I hope to be succeeded as chairman after this year's State Fair.

TF: How does your experience equip you for the job as MDA director?

Mohler: In a way, this job has been an easy fit. I'm acquainted with decision-makers and lawmakers at both the state and federal levels.

Still, there are some real challenges, and I take them seriously.

TF: You've been on the job for a few weeks now. What has been your first order of business?

Mohler: My first emphasis has been on getting a staff together, and we've got a great crew in place now. Some people have stayed in their management positions such as Dr. John Hunt, state veterinarian; Wayne Yokely, market development director; and Joe Francka, plant industries director. We've moved some people around and added some people such as Peter Hofherr as deputy director. We're trying to make MDA more user-friendly.

TF: More "user-friendly?"

Mohler: Yes. Our activities impact a lot of people and not just in production agriculture. When you fill up your car, MDA inspectors have inspected those gas pumps. And the scales at food stores. We have cross-trained inspectors to perform more than one function. Before, a store might have an inspector come by one week to check out the meat scale. A couple of weeks later, another inspector would check the produce scale. And if the store operated fuel pumps, another inspector would examine the accuracy of gas pumps. We want people who can do all of these things at one stop. It makes MDA more efficient and, at the same time, creates fewer hassles for store managers.

TF: What are your priorities for the near future?

Mohler: We're putting emphasis on value-added marketing. We have a grant program to help study the feasibility of value-added processing facilities. For example, MDA helped fund the studies that resulted in two ethanol production plants being built in Missouri. I believe there's also a lot of potential for soybean processing plants, for biodiesel as well as food and feed products. In fact, we are helping finance initial studies on some of these plants now.

TF: What's the future for such products as fuel ethanol?

Mohler: Short term, I think there's a very bright future for ethanol. As you know, MDA administers the ethanol incentive fund, and I think it's important these incentives be kept in place. Longer term, I have questions about how much ethanol is enough. We are urging a study that should give us a road map of what the future of fuel ethanol will be. What if something happens in the market to drive the price of grain to $5 per bushel? Or what if you have just invested a lot of money in a plant and then learn the ethanol market is saturated? We need to look at these possibilities.

TF: Many value-added ventures, such as ethanol plants, are organized as so-called new generation cooperatives. Is this the best form of ownership of these enterprises?

Mohler: What's best probably depends on the kind of business and the people involved. These limited-membership cooperatives have a place, and they often have tax incentives that make them attractive. But the traditional cooperative system of farmer-investment and farmer-control has served us well and still does. I'm a strong believer in--and a strong supporter of--cooperatives.

TF: Export markets are important to Missouri farmers. What is MDA doing to improve export opportunities?

Mohler: As you may know, we've had a Missouri trade representative in Mexico for some time. And Mexico is on track to become the biggest importer of U.S. commodities before long. They are already first in cotton imports and second in corn. We soon hope to have a permanent trade representative in South America, too.

TF: Missouri recently overhauled meat inspection standards to make them in line with federal standards. How will this benefit Missourians?

Mohler: Missouri doesn't have many major packing plants, but we have small processors who are exempt from federal inspection and qualify for state inspection. These new standards will make it possible for meat producers and processors to sell direct to consumers. The only thing left for USDA to approve is our inspection standards for interstate shipments.

TF: Speaking of inspections, the state auditor has criticized MDA's regulation of the pet industry. This happened before you assumed the watch as director, but has the department made some changes?

Mohler: Yes, we have addressed the auditor's questions. Generally, the state auditor criticized us in three areas: record keeping, our coordination with federal inspectors (who also have a mandate to inspect pet breeders) and one instance of a perceived conflict of interest. The pet industry is a $2 billion business in Missouri, and we are charged with inspecting each facility annually. We have made improvements in record keeping, and we are working more closely with USDA inspectors. The one apparent conflict of interest concerned an inspector whose spouse is a pet producer. That has been addressed.

TF: The Starlink flap has cast a shadow over biotechnology. What is your view of biotech's future?

Mohler: I think biotech has unlimited potential, not only in agriculture but also in the life sciences. It's unfortunate the Starlink episode occurred, but I don't think that diminishes the promise of biotech. MDA is actively supporting more research into this area at the University of Missouri and other Midwest universities. Part of Missouri's share of the tobacco settlement is scheduled to go into biotech research.

TF: People are concerned about who benefits from publicly funded research. What is the link between research centers and private industry?

Mohler: Private industry funds the research done at land-grant universities. When a new product is developed with public funding, it is patented by the university, then licensed to a private company for manufacturing and distribution. Universities are not in a position to get into manufacturing and marketing. These functions are better done by private firms.

TF: With mad-cow and foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Britain making headlines, what precaution is MDA taking against outbreaks here?

Mohler: We're on guard. For example, we have a big pet-food industry in Missouri, and many pet foods contain meat scraps or meat by-products. We have outlawed the use of these feeds in cattle rations and check them carefully. In the area of other animal diseases, we are very nearly brucellosis free now and probably will be free of that disease by the end of 2001.

TF: How is MDA's working relationship with other state agencies?

Mohler: Very good and getting better. I'm committed to closer working arrangements with such departments as DNR [Department of Natural Resources] and the Department of Economic Development. Steve Mahfood [DNR director] and I are meeting at least once a month. And we are coordinating more with Economic Development; they have some good programs. The Beginning Farmer Loan program is one example where both agencies work together well.

TF: What's coming down the line?

Mohler: One thing I'm excited about is a task force on agriculture. By May 1, Gov. Holden will have appointed a group of farmers, agri-businessmen, public agency people and lawmakers to study agriculture and make recommendations on the direction we should take. We hope to have a list of recommendations by fall. We have some wise leadership in agriculture; we need to focus this wisdom on the challenges and opportunities that face all of us. This will be a major job of the task force. I hope we can also do a better job of telling our story to consumers.

TF: The U.S. Congress is beginning debate on the 2002 Farm Bill. What features do you see as being needed in new farm legislation?

Mohler: I'd like to see a better safety net under agriculture. And we need to work harder at opening new markets around the world. Our ability to produce--when we get the weather--is virtually unlimited. The market loan and LDP provisions in the current farm bill give a certain amount of price protection. But you have to produce the bushels to get the LDP. We need a feature designed to help farmers who suffer a disaster.

TF: What other issues concern you?

Mohler: We are interested in the Missouri River. If we are to continue to use the river as a resource, those of us downstream have to keep our guard up. We're vulnerable to flooding all along the river's course through the state. With the Kansas, Grand and Osage watersheds, we have enough water coming down the Missouri in the spring. We don't need more released into the river then. Another thing: Missouri has 32,000 miles of rural roads and bridges; everyone in agriculture has a vested interest in good roads. Gov. Holden has proposed a combination tax plan to fund highways. Higher taxes aren't popular with people, but every year we wait means an additional $100 million to get our roads and bridges up to par.