MFA Incorporated President and CEO Robert Huffman said on April 21 that the organization is reviewing the past agricultural year while preparing for new opportunities in 2026.
The reflection comes as farmers across Missouri and neighboring Midwest states face economic pressures, with challenges such as fluctuating commodity prices, export difficulties, and unpredictable input costs affecting many row-crop operations. Despite these obstacles, MFA highlights achievements over the past year that focus on supporting its more than 45,000 farmer-owners through investments in facilities and leadership development programs.
Huffman noted that West Central AGRIServices locations have rejoined MFA’s cooperative structure, restoring member ownership to those areas. Additionally, a major upgrade at Macon Agri Services has expanded fertilizer storage and delivery efficiency. “Cooperative capital invested in these types of operations isn’t just addressing efficiency. It’s about building capacity to serve the next generation of MFA members,” Huffman said.
A significant initiative this year is MFA’s Next Up program—a new ten-month leadership academy designed to prepare selected employees for future roles within the cooperative. The inaugural class includes twenty employees who will participate in a curriculum based on a “Seasons of Leadership” framework aimed at building self-awareness, strengthening leadership skills, and completing capstone projects.
According to the official website, MFA supports profitable and sustainable farming practices intended to strengthen rural communities. The organization functions as a farmer-owned cooperative led by a board of fourteen elected farmers who provide governance and strategic oversight as representatives of its owners.
MFA serves farmers primarily in Missouri but also reaches into adjacent Midwest states.
Founded in 1914, MFA provides agronomy services, livestock nutrition solutions, grain marketing support, and farm supplies while focusing on delivering economic benefits through collective purchasing and sales according to its official website.
As Huffman concluded his message looking ahead to next year: “These priorities reflect our commitment to members, and from my perspective, the future of agriculture in our region.”
