Cape News

U.S. Representative Jason Smith, who serves Missouri’s 8th district in Congress, shared updates from his recent visits with small business owners and farmers in Mississippi, Scott, and Wayne counties via a series of posts on August 14, 2025.

In a post made at 15:33 UTC, Smith wrote about meeting David and Emily Dahlbeck at their distillery in Mississippi County. He stated, "In Mississippi County, I met David and Emily Dahlbeck, who own the Dahlbeck Distillery. During this visit, I toured their facility and heard from them about issues facing small businesses in MO-08. Specifically, we discussed how high input and equipment costs over the past few" (August 14, 2025).

Later that day at 17:36 UTC, Smith described his stop at BW Farms in Scott County as part of his annual Farm Tour. He posted: "During my annual Farm Tour, I stopped in Scott County to tour BW Farms, where I heard from the owner, Blake Wade, and saw his over 100 acres of watermelons and 2000 acres of corn and soybeans. We discussed how commodity and input prices are challenging farmers to keep their" (August 14, 2025).

At 19:43 UTC on the same day, Smith visited Wayne County to meet Walter Plazewski and his son Stephen. In this post he noted: "In Wayne County, I met with Walter Plazewski and his son, Stephen, and toured their farm, where I saw their cattle and goats. Walter discussed his regenerative agriculture operation and how he is working to improve the soil health on his property. Additionally, we discussed how" (August 14, 2025).

Smith has represented Missouri’s 8th congressional district since replacing Jo Ann Emerson in 2013. Before serving in Congress he was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives for eight years starting in 2005. Born in St Louis in 1980 and currently residing in Salem at age forty-two, Smith graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science degree before earning a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University.