Jefferson City, Mo. — Agriculture groups in Missouri are continuing to side with Eric Schmitt.
The Missouri Pork Association has officially endorsed Attorney General Eric Schmitt in his bid for Senate. The MPA’s endorsement follows an endorsement from Missouri Soybeans, who previously backed Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler in the GOP primary.
Schmitt won the primary handily earlier this month, beating out both Hartzler and former governor Eric Greitens by large margins.
Now that the primary is over, general election endorsements are rolling in.
The MPA is an organization in Missouri dedicated to pork producers and other individuals affiliated with the pork industry as a whole.
“In 2021, Missouri’s pork industry employed over 22,000 people throughout the chain, and with nearly $1 billion in cash hog sales. $1.74 billion of the gross national product was supported by the Missouri pork industry,” Don Laut, chairman of the MPA Board of Directors said. “Schmitt understands the importance of the pork industry and will continue to fight on issues that affect our producers. His efforts as Attorney General to stand up for agriculture and the pork industry have been outstanding.”
Pork is a large industry in the state. Missouri is home to about 2,700 hog farms, according to a 2017 survey from the United States Department of Agriculture.
The Show-Me state is sixth in the nation in number of hogs, with about 3.75 million, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
According to the department’s website, hogs are also fourth in the state when it comes to agriculture commodities. Only soybeans, corn, and cattle are above hogs on the list.
Schmitt is no stranger to the world of agriculture endorsements. Earlier this month, he struck the first blow in the general ad campaign with an ad about Missouri Farms.
Schmitt will face Trudy Busch Valentine, daughter of beer magnate August “Gussie” Busch. Busch Valentine beat Lucas Kunce, a Marine veteran and former Pentagon staffer, in the Democratic primary.
Both are vying for Senator Roy Blunt’s seat as he retires this fall.
Featured Image courtesy of the Missouri Department of Agriculture
Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022
