NEW MADRID COUNTY, Mo. – Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08) visited Taylor Center Garden in New Madrid County recently, touring the community garden and meeting with founder Robert Taylor Sr. to discuss the garden’s work combating food insecurity and providing agricultural education across Howardville and Lilbourn.

Congressman Smith said, “Robert and his family pour themselves into this garden without asking for anything in return, and that kind of selflessness is what makes a community strong. They pick as much as 100 pounds of okra in a single morning — alongside watermelon, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, purple hull peas, and peppers — that is all given away free to neighbors who need it. On top of that, they’re teaching the next generation how to garden, how to eat well, and how to take care of each other. It’s an incredible example of what people can do when they choose to give back to their community, and I’m proud to support the federal programs that help operations like Taylor Center Garden reach even more families in the Bootheel.”

Taylor Center Garden operates roughly five acres of active produce across Howardville and Lilbourn, with a recent expansion onto an additional 20 acres, all grown to be donated to the community free of charge. The garden partners with Lincoln University’s Cooperative Extension GARDEN initiative — Growing Area Gardens in Rural/Urban Destinations Encouraging Healthy Nutrition — a statewide effort targeting food deserts and underserved neighborhoods, which provides seeds, starter plants, soil, irrigation equipment, and tools. Through the Coming Together to Bridge the Gap Summer Institute, led by Lincoln University’s Charleston Outreach Center and 4-H Youth Development, the garden also offers academic enrichment and hands-on science programming for local students to combat summer learning loss.

Food insecurity remains a significant challenge across the Bootheel, with New Madrid County at nearly 20 percent, among the highest rates in Missouri where the statewide average is 15.4 percent. Operations like Taylor Center Garden grow produce with the sole purpose of serving their community and making sure fresh food reaches families who need it most, free of charge. Cooperative Extension programs, which serve all 114 Missouri counties, connect research and technical expertise directly to communities like Howardville and Lilbourn. Congressman Smith recently helped secure increased minimum funding for research and extension activities at 1890 land grant universities, including Lincoln University, along with reauthorized scholarships for students pursuing careers in food and agriculture.