JEFFERSON CITY — Director of Agriculture Chinn authors a monthly column in Missouri Ruralist entitled Ag Matters. Below is this month’s column.
It has been 94 years since Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture that sits atop the Missouri State Capitol, has touched the ground. This winter, she was temporarily removed from the Capitol dome to be restored and revitalized, bringing to an end many disagreements on who was chosen to represent the state of Missouri.
Missouri agriculture has always been the lifeblood of the Show Me State. That tie is an unbroken bond that grounds us and reminds us of how important agriculture has always been to Missouri. For farmers and ranchers, that makes the choice of Ceres a perfect fit to represent agriculture and the small communities in which we live.
In small communities across Missouri, I’ve seen people who are struggling. We seem to have fewer small businesses and local newspapers, and the next generation continues to grow the urban population instead of returning home.
Although many rural Main Streets across Missouri have drastically changed since I was growing up, that fact still remains. Agriculture is thriving today and continues to be the strongest economic driver in our state.
To read the rest of Director Chinn’s column, click here.
— Missouri Department of Agriculture
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