University of Missouri Extension researchers are among the recipients of a new five-year, $4.34 million grant from USDA to study water and nutrient recycling, says MU Extension agricultural engineer Teng Lim. The grant, “Water and Nutrient Recycling: A Decision Tool and Synergistic Innovative Technology,” includes five universities: MU, University of Arkansas, Colorado School of Mines, […]
Category: Farm News
Ammoniation demonstrations set in Northeast Missouri
Livestock producers can stretch short supplies of hay this year by using a simple ammonia treatment on bales, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Zac Erwin. Erwin and MU Extension agronomy specialist Valerie Tate will lead-free hay ammoniation demonstrations Oct. 9 and Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. to show farmers how to boost the […]
Test cornstalks for nitrates before feeding
Test baled cornstalks for nitrate levels and feed them to cattle with caution, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Gene Schmitz. MU Extension agronomists across the state report high nitrate levels caused by this summer’s drought. County MU Extension centers offer nitrate testing. Before feeding cornstalk bales, it is important to know nitrate levels […]
Missouri Farm Bureau announces positions on upcoming ballot issues
Missouri Farm Bureau, the state’s largest general farm organization, announced its positions on several issues that will be before voters on the November ballot. The state Board of Directors took action based on the grassroots policies developed by and voted upon by representatives of our more than 130,000 member families across Missouri. Amendment 1 […]
Audio: Dicamba crop damage complaints decline in 2018
The number of alleged crop damage complaints has declined this year in Missouri from a weed killer called dicamba. Labeling changes are being credited for fewer alleged crop damage complaints this year in Missouri from a weed killer called dicamba. State Agriculture Department Director Chris Chinn says the staff is working to wrap […]
Deadline to apply for Environmental Quality Incentives Program is November 16th
The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service has announced the deadline to apply for the Fiscal Year 2019 funds through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program is November 16th. EQIP allows farmers, ranchers, forestland managers, and landowners to conserve natural resources by making financial assistance available to improve soil, water, air, plants, animals, […]
Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst makes statement on new Mexico, Canada trade agreement
Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst made the following statement regarding the new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, and Congress’s failure to pass a new farm bill: “Missouri farmers are breathing a sigh of relief as the United States, Mexico and Canada have joined together in a new trade agreement. The United States, Mexico, […]
MU Extension receives grant to grow beginning farmers and ranchers program
The University of Missouri Extension will receive a $432,747 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) grant through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The grant runs from September 2018 to August 2021, says MU Extension BFRDP coordinator Karen Funkenbusch. MU Extension is one of 36 BFRDP grant recipients. Teams of experts plan […]
New Missouri corn organization officers to take charge
The Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and the Missouri Corn Growers Association have announced a new slate of officers, the appointment of recently elected board members and national committee assignments. The election of the 2018-19 MCMC officer team took place during an August board meeting held in Branson. The following MCMC leaders assumed their new roles […]
Diverse research highlighted at Thompson Research Center Field Day
The University of Missouri Division of Animal Sciences showcased its diverse research and strong graduate student programs during the Thompson Research Center field day, which was held on Monday, Sept. 17. The presentations throughout the evening were primarily led by graduate students, each of whom shared their research and work. “At the Thompson Research Center, […]
Drought status in Northern Missouri remains unchanged this week
Missouri’s drought map released Thursday, September 20, 2018, is virtually unchanged from the map that came out last week. Most northern Missouri areas did not experience any rain in the period from September 11th through 17th. The rain that fell Tuesday afternoon and night is not reflected in the new drought map because the information […]
LandLINK connects farmers across Missouri
LandLINK is a new service provided by FCS Financial. It connects young, beginning farmers with landowners through completion of an online form. The young, beginning farmer completes a form where they describe their current farming operation, experience and agricultural goals regarding the size of the farm they want to purchase or lease and location. The […]
Barn becomes a classroom for day at MU Thompson Farm
The Thompson Farm calving barn became a classroom for the University of Missouri. The teachers were MU graduate students and their mentors. Their listeners were beef farmers on Sept. 17. In his field day greeting, Chris Daubert said this farm was a classroom as much as any building on the Columbia campus. Daubert, dean of […]
USDA details trade damage estimate calculations
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today released a detailed accounting of how the U.S. Department of Agriculture calculated estimated damage from trade disruptions. USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist developed an estimate of gross trade damages for commodities with assessed retaliatory tariffs by Canada, China, the European Union, Mexico, and Turkey to set commodity […]
Audio: State Representative Jay Houghton discusses Missouri Department of Agriculture funding
(Missourinet) – A longtime state lawmaker who serves on a Missouri legislative committee examining Missouri Department of Agriculture funding levels says some department divisions need fee increases, while others don’t. Martinsburg GOP State Representative Jay Houghton serves on the Joint Committee on Review of the Plant Industries Division. MDA officials have provided the […]
Forage Systems Research Center Field Day tackles drought issues
Drought was the main topic of interest during the annual Forage Systems Research Center field day, which took place on Tuesday, Sept. 11. The event featured eight speakers, the majority of whom were focused on showcasing ways farmers and producers could deal with the drought-like conditions across a good portion of Missouri. Not only did […]
Eric Bailey to speak twice during Thompson Research Center Field Day
Eric Bailey has hit the ground running since he joined the University of Missouri last year as an assistant professor in the Division of Animal Sciences and a state beef Extension specialist. Bailey has been a regular at the Agricultural Research Centers’ field days since he came to MU in June 2017, speaking and engaging […]
Alternative forage options during and after drought
Widespread drought conditions during the 2018 growing season in most of Missouri resulted in hay and forage shortages, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Dhruba Dhakal. Dhakal offers some alternative/emergency forage options to feed beef cattle during fall, winter, and spring. Stockpiling tall fescue If fescue stands are strong, stockpiling tall fescue is one of […]
Recent rains significantly improve drought conditions in Northern Missouri
This week’s drought map of Missouri shows fewer counties with extreme drought conditions when compared to one week ago. Portions of just five northwest Missouri counties have extreme drought continuing, They are Grundy, Livingston, Daviess, DeKalb, and Gentry. Others are near North Kansas city including parts of Jackson, Clay, and Platte. In central Missouri, extreme […]
Cows heat stressed after breeding may have unseen pregnancy losses
Prolonged heat stress this year may bring a smaller calf crop next year. Herd owners are seeing cows known to be pregnant coming back into heat to be rebred. Pregnancy losses are due to several reasons, says Scott Poock, University of Missouri Extension veterinarian. “The first is increased internal temperature of the cow.” In July, […]