MFA has hosted politicians before. We've had presidents and vice presidents, senators and representatives over the course of our proud history. But I personally have never before introduced the President of the United States of America. And let me tell you, it's an awe-inspiring (and nerve-wracking) experience. I found myself in the early afternoon of Jan. 14, 2002, standing on a hastily constructed stage in a warehouse at MFA's Aurora feed mill, with the most powerful man in the world. It was my job to introduce President George W. Bush to the excited crowd, the assembled national and local news media, and more importantly to my 9-year-old son Brandon. Brandon likes to point out he voted for George W. Bush in his elementary school election.

The event came from out of the blue. On Monday of the previous week, I received a phone call from a representative of U.S. Senator Kit Bond asking if MFA would be interested in hosting an important event. I asked for particulars. The aide informed me it was confidential. I have great respect for Sen. Bond, so I agreed to wait for more information. On Tuesday, the aide asked pointed questions about different MFA locations across our territory.

I dragged my feet a little and was told the event "could possibly involve the White House." I was also informed of the necessity for secrecy to ensure security. As near as I can figure, this was the point at which we at MFA lost control of the event. By Wednesday, the White House had identified MFA's Aurora mill as the preferred location. It was then my job to inform Gary Tinsley, our mill manager, that he would soon have federal visitors. In short order about 20 Secret Service agents were poking and prodding around the mill. Gary and Joe Powell, our vice president of feed manufacturing, told me the agents soon learned the drawbacks of dark suits at a dusty feed mill. The warehouse site we proposed was found to be inadequate from a security standpoint.

They selected a smaller warehouse inside the mill. White House officials measured the space, told us where pallets of feed bags would go, announced the number of people the space would hold, determined the number of tickets, calculated the timing of the event, and explained exactly where on the property it would be held and how many people would be allowed where. Our feed mill personnel and the local fire department complained that too many tickets were being issued for the amount of space in the warehouse. White House organizers overruled objections and insisted that 200 to 300 people could easily be accommodated outside.

To further complicate the issue, the White House wanted a complete list of names up front before anyone was issued a ticket. They then printed tickets. You can tell MFA didn't have anything to do with printing those tickets. They read "Aurora Missouri Farmers Association Feed Mill," a name we haven't used for years. That's like referring to 3M as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing or IBM as International Business Machines. Our official name has been MFA Incorporated for a decade.

White House organizers issued 150 green tickets. Green tickets were good for the front section closest to the podium. We were given 50. That 50 included the tickets for me and my family, MFA people who were working the event and needed close access, and the MFA corporate board of directors and their wives. The White House also gave us close to 500 tickets to be distributed to whomever we wanted. We distributed those tickets according to which MFA company-owned stores and locally-owned stores order feed from the Aurora mill as well as other stores in geographic proximity.

I can't stress enough that our Agri Services Center managers need to be praised for their efforts preceding this event. They've taken a lot of grief over a situation in which they had little to no control. Corporately, we had less than 12 hours to decide where to offer the tickets and provide the White House with a written list of those attending. In that brief timeframe, many managers had to make last-minute phone calls to their farmer/owners and board members and fax us a written list immediately. Some people were overlooked or weren't at home for the call, and the manager had to call the next person.

The process irritated some people. Managers heard from customers who felt excluded. I heard from customers who felt slighted. And we all heard from those who were of other political persuasions. To all of those I offer my sincere apologies. But this is the President of the United States asking to speak. We'll accommodate him. Given the circumstances, I can't think of a better way to handle ticket distribution from our end. To make matters more difficult, I learned that in addition to the 550 tickets we at MFA were given, the White House gave out 300 additional tickets. All for a warehouse that, empty, wouldn't hold 600. Then, a large section was roped off for media, further limiting the number of farmers who could attend.

As I have said before, MFA Incorporated is not a political organization. We are an agricultural cooperative owned by our farmer/members. At the same time, I am personally proud and honored that we at MFA had the opportunity to host the leader of the free world at our feed mill in Aurora, Mo. The selection says a lot about MFA's profile and standing in our territory. And it says even more about this administration's emphasis on agriculture.