JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Corn Growers Association has endorsed Attorney General Chris Koster in the race for governor.
Along with Friday’s endorsement by the Missouri Farm Bureau, Monday’s corn growers’ endorsement represents Koster’s strategy to expand his base into to the state’s rural regions.
“Attorney General Koster’s record of supporting agriculture is unquestionable,” said Morris Heitman, the association’s president. “We are confident he will continue to work in the best interest of Missouri’s farm families and are proud to support him in the race for Missouri governor.”
The group said their endorsement was based on Koster’s track record of supporting corn growers and ethanol. Those efforts have included support for the 2014 Missouri Farming Rights Amendment and a pro-agriculture voting record in the Senate.
They also cited Koster’s work as attorney general to push back the Environmental Protection Agency’s clean water rule and to fight California’s practices of banning Missouri agriculture products.
Koster mentioned his fight against the EPA in his first TV advertisement.
Koster accepted the endorsement on Twitter Monday morning.
As #mogov, I’ll work to protect and grow our state’s number one industry so we can create good jobs across rural Missouri.
— Chris Koster (@Koster4Missouri) August 8, 2016
The corn growers’ endorsement was decided Friday in a vote of the association’s board of directors. They stressed that they try not to favor a particular party in their endorsements.
“MCGA’s policy is to do our best job supporting political leaders on both sides of the aisle who are proven champions of Missouri’s corn farmers,” Heitman said.
The association also endorsed U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt in his bid for reelection and Republican lieutenant governor candidate Sen. Mike Parson.
The corn growers represent more than 2,600 farmers across the state.
