MFA Inc. hosts President Bush - Newsline - Brief Article

Rural Cooperatives, May-June, 2002

President George W. Bush spoke to a crowd of 900 people who gathered in the warehouse at MFA Inc.'s feed mill in Aurora, Mo., in January. President Bush's remarks focused on the need for economic stimulus, especially as it relates to agriculture. "If we're talking about the economic health of the country, we've got to always understand it begins with a healthy farm economy," Bush said.

He also stressed the need for a trade policy that boosts exports of American agricultural products. "If you're the best in the world at what you do--which we are in farming--then it seems to me we ought to encourage that product to be sold not only here in America, but to level the playing field so it can be sold across the world."

The president also touched on the war on terrorism. "If the goal of government is to create an environment in which people are willing to take on risk, one of the things the government must do is work hard to create confidence in the people." Bush said the best way to do that is to "prevent the evil ones from hitting us again."

The cooperative did not have much time to plan for the event, said Joe Powell, vice president of the feed division of MFA, a marketing and farm supply co-op that serves 45,000 active members in Missouri and adjacent states. "Our employees all pitched in with enthusiasm and pride, working extra shifts over the weekend to get ready for the president's visit," Powell said. "We all felt honored. We also felt both pride and relief that this event came off so smoothly."