Stocker cattle make up just 12 percent of the 4.25 million head currently part of the beef industry in Missouri. But these cattle could add as much as $78 million to Missouri’s economy, according to the Missouri Beef Value-Added Study, a 2016 University of Missouri Extension report for the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority. […]
Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) sent a clear message that any attempt to revive the Obama-era Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule would be met with staunch resistance in Congress and from farmers and ranchers across America. “The Obama-era WOTUS rule was a direct assault on farm families everywhere,” said Graves. “Farmers and ranchers across America came together to […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set a July 23, 2021, deadline for agricultural producers and landowners to apply for the Conservation Reserve Program General signup 56. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept applications for CRP Grasslands from July 12 to August 20. This year, USDA updated both signup options to provide greater […]
(Missouri Independent) – Jeff Jones has lived on his family’s land east of Columbia, Missouri, his entire life. Some of the family’s farms are more than 150 years old. And Jones, who raises cattle and grows row crops, has no intentions of going anywhere. But after years of fighting, his community is home to a […]
The Missouri Department of Agriculture reminds amateur photographers to enter the 2021 Focus on Missouri Agriculture Photo Contest by 5 pm Friday, June 11, 2021. The contest allows photographers to submit their best images of life on the farm to help tell the story of Missouri agriculture. That image may take shape through a breathtaking […]
Spring Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer sales saw heavy interest and strong prices, says Erin Larimore, Show-Me-Select sales coordinator, and University of Missouri Extension specialist. Larimore says beef herd owners continue to seek out SMS heifers to buy guaranteed-pregnant heifers with proven genetics. “There was excellent demand, as shown by the strength of prices in the spring […]
The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced federal approval of the state’s amendment to the Industrial Hemp Plan. With the approval, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service affirmed that Missouri’s amended plan complies with federal law and regulations. The entire amended Missouri State Plan can be reviewed here. Key changes include: Increasing the pre-harvest window […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency published the first notice of funding availability announcing loan payments for eligible borrowers with qualifying direct farm loans under the American Rescue Plan Act Section 1005. The official NOFA will be published in the Federal Register early next week and USDA expects payments to begin in early […]
Iowa farmers have been busy with the spring planting season. As operations hire workers for the summer, a nonprofit connects them with aspiring ‘ag’ professionals who could represent the industry’s future labor force. For nearly a decade, the group Practical Farmers of Iowa has carried out its Labor-4-Learning initiative, where participating farms provide on-site training for […]
In response to catastrophic aquaculture losses due to major winter storms that hit states along the U.S. Gulf Coast in February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced a policy change that makes food fish, and other aquatic species eligible for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised […]
Three years of research in the “MU Certified” Strip Trial Program shows that applying fungicides to soybean at the R3 growth stage reduces foliar disease and increases yield. University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette said the results come from 33 tests across the state from 2018 to 2020. Trials show that fungicide application […]
Beef producers look at their developing heifers and wonder which one will make them the most profit over her life. With tightening margins the past few years, producers must look to data-driven decisions for their breeding stock, says Reagan Bluel, interim superintendent of the University of Missouri Southwest Research Center in Lawrence County. Bluel says […]
Without regular policy checks, farm liability insurance might be like a hospital gown – not enough coverage where you need it most. Thoroughly read your policy regularly and check for gaps and needed updates says University of Missouri Extension economist Ray Massey. “Planning is important, but even the best plans do not always succeed in […]
When feed prices go up, swine producers usually see profits go down. That’s not the case in 2021. This gives producers an opportunity to look at feeding to heavier weights despite higher feed costs, says University of Missouri Extension swine nutritionist Marcia Shannon. Higher market weights result in dramatic net gains per pig under current […]
As the school year ends, you can expect young people to start applying for summer jobs. For agricultural employers, these young workers can provide extra capacity at a time when farms and agribusinesses often have more work than they have employees to get that work done. “Labor is tight as the economy picks up steam […]
Join other producers at the Management Intensive Grazing School on June 11 and 12 at the Schuyler County Community Center in Glenwood, Missouri. The program will be taught by MU Extension, NRCS, and a producer with an existing system. Specific topics will include the Art & Science of MIG; Evaluating Resources; Soil Structure, Function, and […]
The Missouri Department of Agriculture has awarded $16,716,406 million in CARES Act funding to nearly 150 small and medium-sized businesses. As a direct result of the reimbursement grant, more than 40 businesses were assisted in initiating or expanding their level of meat processing through a new grant of inspection or custom exempt inspection status. “As a […]
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will continue initiatives to integrate conservation with agriculture practices and help restore and manage sand prairies after being awarded two partnership projects through the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Through RCPP, conservation partners work in collaboration with NRCS to help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners throughout […]
DISCLAIMER: This article is a commentary. The statements and opinions contained in the article are those of the author, Tim Gibbons. The opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of KTTN/KGOZ Radio, staff, management, or webmaster. (Missouri Independent) – Last month, Missouri Rural Crisis Center held a telephone town […]
The Thompson Research Center advisory committee, along with University of Missouri faculty and administrators, recently celebrated the retirement of Jon Schreffler, farm manager and employee of Thompson, for 43 years. The celebration took place during the spring meeting of the advisory committee, which took place in mid-April. The committee also toured the new commodity barn […]
