Bader Peaches Receives Gov. Award
Gov. Nixon presents agricultural achievement award to Bill and Denise Bader of Bader Peaches
CAMPBELL, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon was in Dunklin County today to recognize Bill and Denise Bader and their business, Bader Peaches, with the Governor’s Award for Agricultural Achievement, which honors outstanding farmers, growers and processors for their work with agricultural commodities and their communities.
“Agriculture has always been, and will always be, the heart of Missouri’s economy, and produce farmers such as Bill and Denise Bader are a big part of the reason why,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri farmers not only feed the world, they create jobs, support their communities and our economy. The farmers, ranchers and producers of Missouri are moving our state forward through innovation and are creating new opportunities for our future.
During his visit today, Gov. Nixon and Missouri’s Director of Agriculture, Richard Fordyce, toured Bader Peach Farms, which began operating on 300 acres in 1986. Today, Bader Peach Farms is the largest peach orchard in the Midwest, with 110,000 trees on a thousand acres.
The Baders grow 30 varieties of peaches, along with nectarines, cantaloupe, watermelons, blackberries, strawberries, apples, tomatoes, pecans and sweet corn. Bader produce, which is picked, washed, inspected, packed and shipped within 24 hours, is sent to several major grocery chains in the Midwest as well as smaller grocers and produce stands.
“Recognizing the contributions of Missouri agriculture leaders like Bill and Denise Bader is a privilege,” Director Fordyce said. “The hardworking, resilient nature of Missouri’s farmers, paired with support from Gov. Nixon, has enabled our industry to flourish.”
To learn more about the Governor’s Award for Agricultural Achievement and Missouri’s agricultural economy, please visit MO.gov.