JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Investing in the livelihoods of mostlyrural, low-income, independent farmers is so important to MissouriFarmers Union Credit Union that it's careful about the investmentdecisions it makes. The $867,000 credit union, launched in 2004,serves 133 members, according to NCUA data. It recently became amember of the Social Investment Forum, a national nonprofitassociation with more than 500 members dedicated to promoting theconcept and practice of socially responsible investing. Some of theways MFUCU is carrying out its socially responsible investingmission is providing a package of loans to small-scale vegetableproducers that do not use chemical pesticides or herbicides, thoughthey are not certified organic. The credit union is also providing$5,000 to $15,000 loans for those members that want to join theOzark Quality Hardwood Cooperative, a kiln-dried wood facility thatuses only sustainably harvested timber. The co-op is currentlyseeking Forest Stewardship Council certification, the "goldstandard" in environmental management for the timber industry.Membership in the co-op is beyond the means of many timberproducers in the region, said MFUCU. MFUCU also supports renewableenergy, for example by promoting an alternative to large-scaleethanol and biodiesel plants that have several problems associatedwith them, said Bryce Oates, the CU's fundraising coordinator.First, purchasing ownership rights in such plants runs upwards of$50,000 to $100,000, exceeding the means of small and medium scalefarmers. "These huge plants generate an awful lot of feed thatpeople who support industrial agriculture are trying to use as abackdoor method to expand confined-animal feeding operations, whichare very harmful to the environment," Oates said. "The costsassociated with building big facilities and purchasing ownershiprights in them is tremendous-upwards of $50,000 to $100,000-thetype of farmer we're interested in supporting as members are notable to commit that kind of capital." For socially responsibleinvestors seeking to support this "reinvestment in rural America"program, MFUCU is currently offering certificates of deposit at"below-market" rates, typically 3-4% interest, for one- tothree-year terms for investments between $10,000 and $100,000.MFUCU is also in the process of capitalizing a cooperative loanfund that will serve as a sister organization to the creditunion.