Thursday, January 6, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson, (573)751-1378
Blunt Nominates Agriculture Director, Names Deputy Director
JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. -elect Matt Blunt announced his choices to serve as the director and deputy director of the Missouri department of agriculture at a news conference today at the Missouri Farm Bureau.
Blunt announced his intention to nominate Charleston farmer and small business owner Fred Ferrell to lead the department. Ferrell, 63, owns Ferrell Farms, a corn, wheat, soybean and cattle farm he started with his father and runs today with his son. He is also the owner and CEO of Mid-Valley Irrigation, Inc., also located in Charleston.
Blunt has selected former Missouri State Representative Matt Boatright of Sedalia to serve as the deputy director of agriculture. Boatright, 39, served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. He currently owns and operates Maplewood Acres Farm, a 140 head cattle farm.
"Fred Ferrell and Matt Boatright understand the challenges facing Missouri's family farmers and will bring insight based on real-world experience to the Missouri department of agriculture," Blunt said. "I look forward to working with them to provide ass istance to rural communities and to improve communication between every state agency that impacts Missouri agriculture."
Blunt has pledged to strengthen agriculture, an economic bedrock for Missouri, by promoting innovative farm products such as bio-diesel and ethanol, encouraging economic development in rural communities, eliminating burdensome regulations, and ensuring t hat state agencies speak with one voice and work cooperatively to boost the agricultural sector.