Screenshot of USDA or United States Department of Agriculture website

United States Department of Agriculture pledges $1B for ‘climate smart’ ag products

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to spend up to $1 billion to foster the creation of climate-friendly agricultural and forestry products by offering grants to facilitate their production and the markets to sell them. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon in those industries. “Agriculture is such […]

Farm Bill News Graphic

Congress clashes over climate in early farm bill talks

(Missouri Independent) – Congressional Democrats on Wednesday touted conservation programs for farmers and ranchers as key tools for limiting agriculture’s impact on the global climate as they took initial steps to create the next farm bill. One Republican’s response: So what? “We’ve talked primarily about climate change, and I gotta to be honest with you,” […]

A partially melted tire hangs on a tree near Paradise, Kansas. The surrounding land was scorched by a wildfire in December 2021

December 2021 was the warmest on record in Missouri and Kansas – by a long shot

(Missouri Independent) – Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Average temperatures over the last half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state — and across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that forced […]

Princeton Missouri School District Website

Princeton Board of Education approves insurance renewal, reviews “Return to Learn” plan and receives update on baseball fields

The Princeton R-5 Board of Education approved the renewal of liability and property insurance December 13th. The insurance is through CPSK and the Missouri Public Entity Risk Management Fund for $77,762 total. That is an increase of $4,275 from the previous year. The board approved the annual auditor’s reports from Conrad and Higgins. A revised […]

Dairy Cows

USDA opens 2022 signup for Dairy Margin Coverage program, expands program for supplemental production

As part of the ongoing efforts to support dairy farmers and rural communities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage program and expanded the program to allow dairy producers to better protect their operations by enrolling in supplemental production. This signup period – which runs from Dec. 13, 2021, to […]

Biofuel Graphic

USDA to make up to $800 million available to provide economic relief to biofuel producers

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will make up to $800 million available to support biofuel producers and infrastructure. The announcement includes $700 million to provide economic relief to biofuel producers and restore renewable fuel markets affected by the pandemic. The Department will make the funds available through the new Biofuel Producer […]

Orscheln Headquarters Moberly (Photo by Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

Controversial bill would have aided Orscheln Products LLC, under scrutiny for contamination

(Missouri Independent) – Two years ago, a company led by an influential Republican businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical that health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers.  The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by […]

USDA Logo

USDA invests $222 million in rural community infrastructure

 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small announced that USDA is investing $222 million to build and improve critical community facilities (PDF, 729 KB) in 44 states, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico. This community infrastructure funding will benefit nearly 2.5 million people in rural communities. It also […]

Patrick McKenna Director of the Missouri Department of Transportation

Billions headed to Missouri transportation fund from gas tax hike, infrastructure bill

(Missouri Independent) – With $6.5 billion on the way from the federal infrastructure bill and a newly increased gas tax, Missouri is ready to take a big bite out of $4.5 billion in unfunded highway needs, Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, said this week. But that doesn’t mean the state is ready to tackle […]

Plane or airplane fighting a wildfire

Climate funds in infrastructure bill aimed at drought, wildfires, floods

(Missouri Independent) – The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill isn’t just about roads and bridges — it also spends billions to address wildfire, drought, flooding, and other effects from climate change, Interior Department officials said Wednesday. The $1.2 trillion measure, which is awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature after the House cleared it last week, includes pay […]

Spire Natural Gas Company Van

Critics say Spire Missouri’s warning of natural gas outages a “manufactured crisis”

(Missouri Independent) – As federal energy regulators prepare to decide the fate of a St. Louis natural gas pipeline, Spire Missouri is warning customers their gas service could fail this winter.  Business industry groups and the utility maintain their responsibility to keep customers informed. But environmental groups and some local elected officials — who note federal regulators seem […]

Princeton Missouri School District Website

Princeton Board of Education approves resolution involving purchase of electric school bus

The Princeton R-5 Board of Education on November 8 approved a resolution regarding a United States Department of Agriculture facilities grant and an agreement involving refinancing bonds. The resolution concerned the acceptance and compliance of the grant. The district hopes to purchase an electric school bus if it can secure enough grants to reduce the […]

Lead Hazard News Graphic

New funds and strategy may boost “massive task” of reducing lead exposure for Missouri kids

(Missouri Independent) – It’s clear that lead exposure is a problem for Missouri’s children. An estimated 4.5% have elevated levels of lead in their blood, more than almost any other state in the country. What’s far more difficult is figuring out where children are getting exposed to lead, said Carlton Waterhouse, President Joe Biden’s pick for […]

Person at sink filling drinking water tumbler

Database shows Missouri residents what contaminants are in their drinking water

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri and Kansas residents may be drinking unsafe amounts of arsenic, nitrates, and other chemicals — even if their provider is meeting federal drinking water requirements, according to data published Wednesday by an environmental group. The Environmental Working Group released its most up-to-date tap water database, compiling testing information for water utilities across the […]

Piglets in barn (Photo courtesy Diego San)

Smithfield withdraws request for CAFO permits environmentalists criticized as too lax

(Missouri Independent) – The global meat producer operating some of Missouri’s largest industrial hog operations has withdrawn requests to convert 10 of its permits to what environmental groups say would be more lenient ones. Smithfield Foods Inc., which has a history of environmental violations in Missouri, operates some of the largest concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, in the […]

NCRS Website

NRCS announces november 19, 2021 application deadline for financial assistance

The Missouri USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced November 19, 2021, as the cut-off date to apply for the Fiscal Year 2022 funds through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program. EQIP allows farmers, ranchers, forestland managers, and landowners an opportunity to conserve natural resources by making available financial assistance to improve soil, water, air, plants, animals, […]