U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the progress made in partnering with farmers and American businesses to increase innovative domestic fertilizer production and in making it easier for U.S. farmers to grow food through the practice of double cropping. USDA also announced $52.6 million in awards under the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program, […]
Category: Farm News
Missouri State Treasurer announces two week extension of Farm Relief Loan Program
Following the news coming from Governor Parson’s Drought Assessment Committee, State Treasurer Vivek Malek announced he is keeping his office’s Farm Relief Loan Program open through October. The new deadline is October 31st. The Farm Relief Loan program was created to prioritize low-interest loans through the MOBUCK$ program for farmers and ranchers affected by drought. […]
U.S. Drought Monitor reveals increased “Extreme Drought” in the Green Hills Region
Extreme drought has expanded into the Green Hills in the past week, according to this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor map. The map was released Thursday morning, October 12, and is based on conditions as of Tuesday morning, October 10. Extreme drought now covers the eastern edge of Putnam County. Severe drought has expanded into southern […]
NRCS Missouri offers funding opportunities for farmers and landowners through seven regional partnership projects
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Missouri invites qualifying farmers and landowners to apply for technical and financial assistance through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Funding is available for seven regional partnership projects. Applications must be received by Nov. 17, 2023, to be considered for this round of funding. The RCPP projects […]
Audio: War erupts between Israel and Palestine affecting U.S. farmers’ commodity prices
(Brownfield Network – Kellan Heavican) – War has broken out between Israel and a Palestine nationalist organization in the Middle East, and that’s having some impact on commodity and input prices for U.S. farmers. Market analyst Jeff Peterson with Heartland Farm Partners says the conflict has pushed some commodity prices higher. “The market was a […]
Farm bill stalled amid U.S. House speaker battle
(Missouri Independent) – As Congress faces another pressing deadline to fund the government and the U.S. House grinds to a halt without a speaker, the reauthorization of the nation’s agriculture and hunger programs has taken a back seat. But lawmakers tasked with shepherding the new version maintain their progress is “in good shape.” The previous […]
Experts warn of dangerous high-nitrate content in cattle feed
Livestock experts are warning farmers about the high nitrate content in their cattle feed this fall due to prolonged drought. Farmers typically grind up corn plants – stalks, ears, stems, and all – to feed their cattle. This mixture is called silage, and it serves as a nutritious source of protein and other essential nutrients […]
Missouri Livestock Symposium announces photo contest with “Missouri Farm Life” theme
Send your best snapshots of Missouri farm life and enter this year’s Missouri Livestock Symposium photo contest. Entries are due by October 31, 2023. The contest is open to amateur photographers in the state of Missouri. Photographers may submit up to three entries. Each entry must depict some aspect of agriculture, such as farm life, […]
Women in agriculture gather for Kirksville workshop on October 19th
The University of Missouri Extension and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts will host a Women in Agriculture workshop in Kirksville. The free event will take place at the Missouri Department of Conservation Northeast Regional Office on October 19th from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The workshop will feature updates from the Soil and Water […]
New Missouri corn officers take over duties
As the new fiscal year commences, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC) and the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) have unveiled a fresh lineup of officers, the induction of recently elected board members, and their national committee assignments. The 2023-24 MCMC officer team was elected during an August board meeting in Branson. Effective Oct. 1, […]
Audio: Lawmaker wants to prevent certain countries from buying any Missouri land
(Missourinet) – If Representative Mike Haffner gets his way, protecting property rights will extend to ensure foreign adversaries are not allowed to buy up ANY land in the state. The Pleasant Hill Republican says it’s a fundamental right of the Bill of Rights. “But we also have to have national security aspects, especially […]
Corn milling company pleads guilty to making false statements in safety and environmental records following mill explosion
Didion Milling Inc. pleaded guilty to criminal charges in federal court in Madison, Wisconsin. As part of a plea agreement, the company has agreed to pay a total of $1 million in criminal fines and $10.25 million in restitution to victims of a May 31, 2017, catastrophic explosion at its Cambria, Wisconsin, corn mill facility. […]
Congress takes aim at state animal welfare laws
(Missouri Independent) – Earlier this year, Oregon Democrats pushed through state legislation that allows local governments to require setbacks between neighbors and factory farming operations. The law prohibits farms from drawing unlimited amounts of free groundwater and requires farmers to apply for a permit before applying manure to their fields. It’s the kind of state […]
Foreign ownership of farmland probed at U.S. Senate hearing
(Missouri Independent) – U.S. senators said during a Wednesday hearing that foreign ownership of farmland is a national security threat that should be further examined. The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry discussed foreign ownership of the nation’s agricultural lands, with testimony from experts and Senate colleagues who have been taking the lead […]
Green Hills in the throes of intensifying drought; Missouri statewide conditions worsen
Abnormally dry conditions have expanded in the Green Hills region, and the state of Missouri has seen a worsening of drought conditions over the past week. This information comes from the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, released on Thursday, September 28th, reflecting conditions as of Tuesday, September 26th. In the Green Hills area, northwest Harrison […]
USDA sees record demand for clean energy funding in rural America
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA has seen a record demand for funding to advance affordable and reliable clean energy in rural America. This demand is under key programs enabled by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant clean energy and climate investment in history and the most substantial […]
The farm bill is on the verge of expiring. Congress is months away from a new version
(Missouri Independent) – As the deadline for Congress to pass a new farm bill looms this weekend, staff members of the House and Senate Agriculture committees say it will be months – if not longer – until they reach an agreement on a new bill. Lawmakers must rewrite the sweeping farm bill every five years […]
USDA announces $65 million in grants for farm labor stabilization
The Biden-Harris Administration announced that agricultural employers can begin to apply for a pilot program designed to enhance the resilience of the food and agricultural supply chain by addressing workforce challenges faced by farmers and ranchers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in coordination with other federal agencies, is announcing up to $65 million in […]
Grundy County Farm Bureau holds annual meeting
Grundy County Farm Bureau members, on September 21, elected the same slate of officers as last year. Secretary Marcie Meservey reports that David Meservey is president, Carl Woodard is vice president, and she herself holds the role of secretary/treasurer. Board members include Eric Hoffman, Trent Steinhoff, and Derek Lowrey. Farm Bureau members approved all eight […]
National Nematode Day highlights importance of soybean cyst nematode testing
October 2nd is recognized as National Nematode Day, a pivotal time for testing fields for soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the leading pathogen of soybeans in the United States. Mandy Bish, a plant pathologist and director of the SCN Diagnostics clinic at the University of Missouri Extension, emphasized the importance of identifying problematic areas during this […]