Gov. Nixon Visits Buchanan County Farm for Safer, Stronger Missouri Roundtable on Coordinated Response to Protect Farms, Homes and Businesses From Floods

Press Release

Gov. Jay Nixon today visited the farm of Lanny Frakes in Buchanan County, where he held a Safer, Stronger Missouri roundtable with area farmers, local elected officials and representatives of area levee and drainage districts. Participants discussed the ongoing efforts over the last several years that have helped protect area farms, homes and businesses from flooding.
"Government's most important role is keeping people safe, no matter if the threat is a tornado, an ice storm, or flooding, all of which and more we see here in Missouri," Gov. Nixon said. "Northwest Missouri has seen more than its share of flooding over the last several years, especially in 2011. Since 2009, my administration has set out to make Missouri safer and stronger, and a big part of that is working with our local partners, including the levee districts that protect farms and communities."
Today's roundtable was part of a series of Safer, Stronger Missouri events across the state in which the Governor is receiving updates on the state's expanded capabilities in emergency planning and disaster response and recovery.
In 2011, Missouri communities experienced record flooding across the state due to water releases from upper-Missouri River reservoirs and a breach of the Birds Point levee in southeast Missouri. Immediate actions were taken to assist these communities. Over $6 million was provided for community development block grants to assist several Missouri towns and counties repair or replace roads, bridges, levees and other public infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the damaging flood waters. That included $4 million for projects along the Missouri River from Atchison County to Carroll County.
Earlier this month, the Governor approved $5 million in general revenue from the State of Missouri for a levee flood control project to help protect Rosecrans Memorial Airport and the Air National Guard base located there, as well as farms and homes in the area.
Participants in today's roundtable included Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Richard Fordyce; Col. Bret Johnson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol; Brig. Gen. Greg Mason, assistant adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard; Lanny Frakes, the vice-president of the Missouri Levee and Drainage District Association; Morris Heitman, a Holt County farmer, and a former president of the Missouri Corn Growers' Association; Buchanan County Commissioner Ron Hook; and Holt County Clerk Kathy Holstine, who is also a board member of the Missouri Levee and Drainage District Association.

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