AGRICULTURE DIRECTOR SCHEDULES AREA TOUR

Director of Agriculture Tim Kelley will be in Southeast Missouri next week.

Kelley, who was appointed Missouri Department of Agriculture director in August, will conduct several meetings with farmers and agricultural leaders in the area May 4-6, including appearances in Cape Girardeau Monday and Tuesday.

This is the second in a series of five visits Kelley plans across the state in what he describes as a "Trade Mission to Missouri." He visited Northwest Missouri last month.

"The tours are designed to emphasize the important economic role of agriculture in Missouri," said Kelley. "Missouri farmers produce more than $4 billion in crops and livestock each year, a total that places the state in the top 10 among the nation's farm states."

The three-day series of meetings will also include two town meetings where the public can meet the director and discuss state and national issues.

Town meetings will be held at Cape Girardeau and Portageville.

Kelley will make five appearances in Cape County, starting with the town meeting session Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Rhodes Hall on Southeast Missouri State University campus.

Kelley will be at the Holiday Inn for a 7 a.m. meeting Tuesday, and at Magill Hall on the university campus at 10 a.m. He will be luncheon speaker at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Agriculture Committee at noon Tuesday.

The luncheon here will be a "Dutch Treat" luncheon. Cost is $10 and anyone may attend. Reservations and additional details are available by calling Linda Minner at the Chamber of Commerce, 335-3312.

Kelley's final appearance in Cape County will be at Jackson Monday at 7 p.m., where he will address the Jackson FFA meeting.

Others stops on the area tour will be a 6:30 a.m. session at the Hampton Inn at Sikeston, a noon meeting at the First State Bank Community Meeting Room in Caruthersville, and a 7 p.m. session at the Delta Center in Portageville Wednesday.

"These town meetings give us a rare opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with farmers, family members, agri-business representatives and others who live and work throughout Missouri," said Kelley.

"Missouri is a major farm state and it is important to listen to what farmers are saying about the policies, either federal or state, that affect the way they do business," he added. Missouri has more than 106,000 farms. Only Texas has more.

Kelley, of Savannah, said his family owns and operates a 585-acre feeder pig farm in Andrew County. He has a bachelor's degree in agriculture economics from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. The former Missouri representative from the 6th District is a member of the House committees on Agriculture and Agri-Business.

The schedule:

Monday

Noon-1:15 p.m. Three Rivers Community College, Poplar Bluff.

7:30-9:30 p.m. Rhodes Hall, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau.

Tuesday

7 a.m.-8:159 Holiday Inn, Cape Girardeau.

10-11 a.m. Magill Hall, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau.

Noon-1:30 p.m. Drury Lodge, Cape Girardeau.

7-9 p.m. Jackson High School.

Wednesday

6:30-8 a.m. Hampton Inn, Sikeston.

Noon-1:30 p.m. First State Bank, Caruthersville.

7-9 p.m. Delta Center, Portageville.