AURORA, Mo. – Cattle producer Glen Cope, of Aurora, was recognized today with a Governor’s Award for Agricultural Achievement, which honors outstanding farmers, growers and processors for their work with agricultural commodities and their communities. The award was presented by Missouri’s Director of Agriculture, Richard Fordyce, on behalf of Gov. Jay Nixon.
“Missouri’s farm families put food on America’s table while providing the bedrock of our economy here at home,” Gov. Nixon said. “We appreciate Glen and all Missouri’s cattle producers for the work they do each and every day to strengthen agriculture throughout the Show-Me State.”
Director Fordyce noted there are more than 1,880,000 beef cows in Missouri, and the state is a leader nationally in cow-calf production. Before presenting the award, the Director toured the 2,500-acre operation in Barry and Stone counties that Cope operates in partnership with his father and brother. The Copes manage a 550-head commercial cow-calf herd and run several head of stocker cattle.
Glen Cope, a fourth generation cattle producer, is the chairman of the Missouri Beef Industry Council board of directors and serves on the MFA District 12 board of directors. He was a member of Missouri Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT) class 12 and also serves on Cong. Billy Long’s agriculture advisory committee.
“Glen is an outstanding advocate for the Missouri beef industry and all of agriculture,” Director Fordyce said. “When the Missouri Department of Agriculture began working on a Beef Initiative, Glen was one of the first involved. He not only believes in the importance of agriculture, but also takes the steps necessary to move the industry in the right direction.”
Earlier this year, Gov. Nixon convened the Missouri Beef Summit in Columbia to maximize the potential of Missouri’s beef industry and help move the state’s rural economy forward, while at the same time protecting land, air and water resources. The summit brought together large- and small-scale beef producers with agricultural leaders and experts to discuss how to grow the industry in Missouri, how to help producers increase the value of the industry by keeping more cattle in-state for finishing, and how to better market Missouri beef for its high quality for both foreign and domestic consumption.
To learn more about the Governor’s Award for Agricultural Achievement and Missouri’s agricultural economy, please visit MO.gov.
