Agriculture is a job creator for our region, nation

Southeastern Missouri is a vast agriculture region with fertile soils, a nearly inexhaustible shallow aquifer system to support sustainable irrigation, highly knowledgeable producers, available investment capital, a supportive agribusiness infrastructure and a transportation system that links directly to domestic and international markets.

A testament to the agriculture productivity of this region is the value of the agriculture production in 2012 (USDA Census).

Soybean and corn production in southeastern Missouri produced approximately $1 billion in economic value. Collectively, the economic value of the corn, soybean, wheat, cotton and rice was in excess of $1.6 billion. The total economic value of corn, soybean, wheat, cotton and rice by county is: Butler ($173 million), Cape Girardeau ($60 million), Dunklin ($224 million), Mississippi ($161 million), New Madrid ($314 million), Pemiscot ($202 million), Scott ($140 million), Stoddard ($294 million).

These statistics do not take into account the vast poultry and other animal enterprises or the specialty crops (peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelons, pumpkins, sorghum, etc.).

The agriculture of southeastern Missouri supports the agribusinesses that provide seed, fuel, fertilizer, agrochemical, machinery, irrigation technology, financial services, and other items. They also provide subsequent value addition and export to the farm products.

As an example, soybean seed purchases from local agribusinesses by county is: Butler ($8.4 million), Cape Girardeau ($4.8 million), Dunklin ($6.5 million), Mississippi ($10.7 million), New Madrid ($12 million), Pemiscot ($10.6 million), Scott ($6.5 million), Stoddard ($12.1 million).

These agribusinesses pay taxes, create careers for their employees, and support their local communities. Thus the local schools, road commissions, police and fire departments, public medical facilities, retail outlets and many other civic and private organizations owe a thank you to the real job creators -- American agriculture.

Michael Aide is the chairperson of the Department of Agriculture at Southeast Missouri State University.