Former MFA Incorporated president Eric Thompson died Aug. 4, 2005, at his home near Otterville, Mo. Thompson defeated long-time president Fred V. Heinkel during the 1979 MFA election. Heinkel had led the organization from 1940, filling in upon the death of founding president William Hirth.

Through the efforts of Thompson and his leadership, the policy of annual elections for president was changed, eliminating the political focus from a job that should revolve around the business aspects. From that point forward, the MFA Incorporated corporate board of directors was responsible for hiring and evaluating MFA's president. This policy alteration fundamentally changed the business structure of the cooperative, placing the cooperative on the path to profitability.

As a decorated Vietnam pilot with more than 180 combat missions as well as experience as MFA's director of employee relations, Thompson had the leadership skills necessary to move the cooperative forward during its change in function and operation.

Eric Thompson is survived by his wife Jamie, who resides in Otterville, and sons Lance and Heath. Today's Farmer will celebrate Thompson's accomplishments at MFA Incorporated in a future issue.

A broken drought

General rains in August brought relief from a dearth of rain and an abundance of searing temperatures. But seen from the cornfields in central Missouri, the rain was largely useless. Corn being shelled as early as Aug. 12 in Callaway County checked in at about a third of last year's bountiful yield. While drought wreaked havoc with fields in the heart of MFA's trade territory, overall, yield is expected to be down just 25 percent territory wide. Southern tropical storms brought timely rains in Missouri's Boot Heel pushing yield there, and spotty but relatively common rain in west central and northwest Missouri's deep soils provided nearly average yield.

Road warriors

Two Missouri senators and one representative unveiled the newly passed federal transportation bill at a news conference held at MFA's corporate headquarters Aug. 3, 2005.

MFA president and CEO Don Copenhaver introduced U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent and U.S. Representative Kenny Hulshof. Also participating was Pete Rahn, director of Missouri's Department of Transportation.

The group presented their bill to the news media and outlined the $1.3 billion impact on Missouri. Missouri is a key hub in the U.S. transportation structure, serving as a crossroads of several nationally significant interstate highways.