Views: 0(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson gave lawmakers a deadline of noon Tuesday to strike a deal to renew medical provider taxes vital to funding Medicaid or accept responsibility for more than $700 million in cuts from the state budget that takes effect July 1. If not, the governor says he will freeze funding in […]
Tag: economy
Stocker cattle could add value to your operation without breaking the bank
Views: 0Stocker 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 […]
USDA announces dates for Conservation Reserve Program general and grasslands signups
Views: 0The 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 […]
Missouri Department of Agriculture announces 2021 Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
Views: 0The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced that the Missouri Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is up and running for the summer. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services, the SFMNP assists low-income seniors in obtaining fresh, Missouri Grown produce and generates more than $200,000 for the farmers’ market community. Through […]
Audio: Midwest economy, including Missouri’s, expected to be back to pre-COVID levels in first quarter of 2022
Views: 0The Midwest economy, including Missouri’s, is expected to be back to pre-COVID levels in the first quarter of 2022. That’s according to Dr. Ernie Goss, an economist at Creighton University in Nebraska. He says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows average hourly wages for Missouri’s manufacturing sector is strong with record high price […]
Missouri Governor says federal unemployment programs have given public incentive to stay out of the workforce
Views: 0Saying that there’s a labor shortage across Missouri, Governor Mike Parson (R) has issued a directive to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to end all federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits. Missouri’s House Democratic Leader is blasting the decision. Governor Parson made the announcement during a Tuesday afternoon briefing at the Statehouse in […]
Missouri State Treasurer joins coalition to oppose Biden Administration’s attacks on fossil fuel industry
Views: 0Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced he has joined a coalition of 15 State Treasurers to speak out against apparent attempts by the Biden Administration to pressure banks and other large financial institutions to divest from coal, oil, and natural gas companies. “While the pursuit of more renewable sources of energy is a noble […]
Missouri Jobs Report report for April, 2021, shows slight decline in unemployment rate
Views: 0Missouri non-farm payroll employment showed little overall change from March 2021 to April 2021, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by a tenth of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 600 jobs over the month. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in April 2021, down from 4.2 percent […]
It pays to know what your farm liability insurance covers
Views: 0Without 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 […]
Know youth labor laws before hiring summer staff
Views: 0As 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 […]
Governor Parson announces Missouri to end all pandemic-related unemployment benefits
Views: 0To address workforce shortages across the state, Governor Mike Parson directed the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to notify the U.S. Department of Labor that Missouri will end participation in all federal pandemic-related unemployment insurance programs effective Saturday, June 12 at 11:59 p.m. “From conversations with business owners across the state, we […]
Missouri meat and poultry processors awarded nearly $17 million toward food supply expansions
Views: 0The 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 […]
Audio: Lawmakers introduce bill to fund repair of dangerous railroad crossings
Views: 4U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (Wash.), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, introduced legislation that will provide $500 million a year for five years to improve safety and reduce congestion at railroad […]
Missouri lawmakers urged to learn from states that have expanded Medicaid
Views: 0As the state Senate debates Missouri’s budget for next year, groups are urging lawmakers to learn from the 38 states that have expanded their Medicaid programs. The budget passed by the Missouri House leaves out the $130 million needed to fund expansion. The remainder of the costs would be covered by the federal government. Joan Alker, executive […]
Lawmakers introduce legislation to support U.S. manufacturers
Views: 0U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), Rob Portman (Ohio), James Lankford (Okla.), and James Inhofe (Okla.) announced that they have introduced the Permanently Preserving America’s Investment in Manufacturing Act of 2021. The bill would ensure that American manufacturers can continue to make large investments, hire workers, and produce goods in the United States. “The strength […]
49th Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture announced
Views: 0The Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture is coming back to Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, Mo., this fall for its 49th celebration of agriculture. The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced the conference dates have been set for Nov. 18-19, 2021. “As Governor and a farmer, I’m excited to see this conference back on the […]
Audio: New report says Missouri is gaining ground along the broadband superhighway
Views: 0A new report says Missouri ranks 32nd in the nation in broadband internet access – a positive jump from 41st just a couple of years ago. It says one in four Missouri students still do not have access to high-speed internet and the state ranks in the bottom five for access to low-cost internet. […]
Missouri Attorney General files suit against Biden administration to reinstate Migrant Protection Protocols enacted by Trump
Views: 0Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit against President Joe Biden, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, and several other members of President Biden’s administration to reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) enacted by President Trump and work toward combating migrant trafficking, securing the border, and ending the […]
Ducks Unlimited partners improve nearly 2,000 acres in Missouri for water quality and wildlife habitat
Views: 0Ducks Unlimited and numerous partners invested more than $575,000 to protect, enhance or restore 1,926 acres of wetland and grassland habitat in Missouri in 2020, greatly improving water quality and wildlife habitat. The milestones in 2020 were achieved with field staff taking extra precautions and using creative solutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The […]