Bird Flu News Graphic (Photo credit Danganhfoto on Pixabay)

University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine tracking the spread of bird flu, one test at a time

Throughout the country, an extremely infectious disease called highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been circulating rapidly among flocks of chicken and turkeys. While the disease poses little risk to humans, it presents a serious threat to infected birds as well as the nation’s poultry industry, which is already facing supply chain disruptions. At the […]

Photo of border wall (Photo via Greg Bulla on Unsplash)

New process for asylum cases at the border unveiled by Biden administration

(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration announced Thursday steps to expedite asylum cases at the U.S.-Mexico border in an attempt to resolve a years-long backlog, but policy advocates worry the streamlined process could prevent asylum seekers from obtaining legal representation if their cases are denied.  “If somebody is not approved in the first instance, they’re […]

Avian Flu News Graphic

Avian influenza cases confirmed in four Missouri counties

Federal officials have confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Stoddard, Bates, Jasper, and Lawrence Counties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic influenza in the flocks. Samples are delivered to the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Missouri for testing if […]

Chickens or poultry in a farm yard

Highly pathogenic avian influenza confirmed in Missouri commercial poultry flock

Federal officials have confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial chicken flock in Stoddard County, Missouri. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic influenza (HPAI) in the commercial broiler chicken flock. Samples were delivered to the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Missouri for […]

Screenshot from Virtual press conference of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

Vilsack: Fertilizer prices are biggest worry for farmers after Russian invasion

(Missouri Independent) – The Russian invasion of Ukraine this week might drive up the costs of farm fertilizers globally — which nearly quadrupled last year in price in the United States and remain high — and presents an opportunity for unscrupulous companies to artificially inflate those prices further, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “That’s […]

Chickens or poultry in a farm yard

Poultry virus confirmed in state bordering Missouri

Missouri poultry producers, both commercial and backyard flocks, are encouraged to review and tighten biosecurity protocols in light of the avian influenza virus confirmation in birds east of the Mississippi River. Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 is known to be deadly for domesticated chickens and turkeys. Avian influenza was confirmed in a commercial chicken operation […]

Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment.  The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]

American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall spoke at the organization’s 2022 annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia (photo provided by American Farm Bureau Federation)

American Farm Bureau Federation claims it’s the ‘voice of agriculture,’ Others beg to differ

(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published as a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The American Farm Bureau Federation calls itself the “voice of agriculture,” a slogan it trademarked in 2007. But as the divide between agribusiness and small farmers has grown in recent decades, a unified voice of agriculture has become harder to […]

House Fire news graphic

Fire damages home at Leisure Lake

A house fire on Saturday at Leisure Lake caused moderate damage to a portion of the attic at 73220 Catalina Drive. Firefighters from the Grundy County Rural Fire Department and Trenton Fire Department arrived to find light smoke showing from the eaves of the structure. According to a report from firefighter Derek Hert, firefighters gained […]

Medical Marijuana

Reversing state’s decision, Missouri panel awards marijuana license to jilted applicant

(Missouri Independent) – In a rare move, a Missouri commission granted a medical marijuana license to an applicant after discovering irregularities with how state regulators evaluated applications. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) decided to forgo appealing the ruling, announcing Tuesday that it had reached a settlement with the jilted applicant to […]