USDA announces more than 3.4 million acres selected for general signup in Conservation Reserve Program

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the acceptance of more than 3.4 million acres in the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup recently completed, the first general signup enrollments since 2016. County offices will begin notifying producers with accepted offers no later than April 3. Through CRP, farmers and ranchers receive an annual rental payment for […]

Farm and farmland news graphic

Farmers wanting to apply for EQIP, CSP can apply from Home

The Missouri Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) would like to remind producers of the program sign-up deadlines to be considered for FY 2020 funding are as follows: Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) application deadline is March 30, 2020. Environmental Quality Incentive Program-Regional Conservation Partnership Program (EQIP-RCPP) application deadline is March 30, 2020. Conservation Stewardship Program-Classic […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

USDA implements measures to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by COVID-19

USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rural Development will keep customers, partners, and stakeholders updated as more actions are taken to better serve rural America. Rural Housing Service Single-Family Housing Effective March 19, borrowers with USDA single-family housing Direct […]

Chillicothe Area Arts Council

Chillicothe Area Arts Council cancels performance of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”

The Chillicothe Area Arts Council has been monitoring the situation regarding the Coronavirus, as well as following recommendations from health professionals and local, state and federal officials. The advice coming from all levels of health professionals is to practice “social distancing” and avoid large crowds, which can be very difficult to accomplish in a theatre […]

Little Otter Creek Reservoir Project

Little Otter Creek Reservoir Project near Hamilton advances to next stage

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Acting State Conservationist, Grover DePriest, has signed a Record of Decision supporting the installation of a multi-purpose reservoir in Caldwell County. This decision fulfills national requirements to assess the environmental impacts of this federal action. It was based on the development of a comprehensive Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The preferred […]

Health News

Coronavirus Information: How organizations are handling the issue statewide

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education continues to receive many questions about COVID-19 and how it impacts student attendance, school closure, assessments, and virtual education opportunities. We are aware that local education agencies must consider a number of factors when making decisions in this current situation. Administrative Memo COM-20-001, issued from the Commissioner […]

Missouri Hospital Association

Missouri Hospital Association: There are laws we need changed in the short term to deal with Coronavirus

As of this posting, two Missourians have tested positive for the coronavirus out of 73 tested. Others are being triaged through clinics, healthcare providers, telemedicine, and hospitals. The burden on hospitals at this time is checking, testing and treating symptomatic patients who come into the emergency rooms– whether they have COVID-19 or not. That could […]

Coronavirus Concerns

EPA releases list of disinfectants to use against Coronavirus

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. “Using the correct disinfectant is an important part of preventing and reducing the spread of illnesses along with other critical aspects such as hand washing,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. […]

Finance

Natural Resources Conservation Service announces March 30th application deadline for financial assistance

The Missouri USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced March 30th as the cut-off date to apply for Fiscal Year 2020 funds through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program -Environmental Quality Incentive Program (RCPP-EQIP). EQIP allows farmers, ranchers, forestland managers, and landowners an opportunity to conserve natural resources by […]

Cash and Katie gov leadership 2020

NCMC students participate in Missouri Governor’s Student Leadership Forum

NCMC students Katie Blanchard from Lucerne, MO Cash Miller from Warsaw, MO and were two of the 98 collegiate students that participated in the 33rd Annual Missouri Governor’s Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values held February 14-16, 2020, in Jefferson City, Missouri. The forum challenges students’ character development by encouraging them to reflect on […]

Smithfield Food Website

Smithfield Foods and Roeslein Alternative Energy continue development of manure-to-energy projects in Missouri

Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Roeslein Alternative Energy announced an additional $45 million investment in their Monarch Bioenergy joint venture, which captures methane from hog manure to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) in Missouri. The additional investment will enable the continued implementation of “manure-to-energy” projects on Smithfield’s farms, resulting in RNG generation across 85% of the […]