Farming size in Missouri

In advocating for the "Right-to-Farm" bill, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith claims that agriculture is the largest industry in Missouri (Southeast Missourian, June 4, 2014, p. 3A). In fact, the Missouri agricultural industry is rather small, comprising only 1.5 percent of private personal income and only 2.9 percent of private employment in 2012 (Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis), lagging behind industries such as manufacturing, construction, finance and real estate, wholesale and retail trade, health care, transportation and warehousing, administrative and waste management services, and accommodation/food services in both measures of size. Perhaps by size he meant the number of acres in production, which is the largest, at approximately 57 percent of the total land area in Missouri (Source: USDA).

Unfortunately for Mr. Smith, acres don't vote. Too many of our politicians are prone to exaggeration and the citizen/taxpayers of Southeast Missouri deserve better. Although there might be very good reasons to support the "Right-to-Farm" bill, industry size is not one of them.

BILL WEBER, Jackson