Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased again in December 2020, but a large increase in the civilian labor force sent unemployment higher. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 10,400 jobs over the month, and over-the-year job losses from COVID-19 shutdowns fell below 100,000. However, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by 1.3 percentage points from November […]
Producers selling local foods can learn about best practices, state regulations, and available resources at a four-part online series in March presented by the University of Missouri Extension. “This series will help farmers and other food producers gain knowledge to help them sell their food products direct to consumers in these ever-changing times,” said Leslie […]
With its virtual format, this year’s Computers on the Farm Conference, Feb. 8-9, will vividly underscore the increasingly vital role of computers in agriculture. “The topics are designed to simulate a hands-on experience for both beginner and advanced farm computer users,” says Kent Shannon, University of Missouri Extension agricultural engineering specialist and MU assistant teaching […]
A proposed biofuels rule from the EPA is getting criticism from ethanol supporters. The part of the rule ethanol supporters like would address E-15 labeling and infrastructure requirements and not act on 66 petitions for Small Refinery Exemptions. Growth Energy’s Chris Bliley tells Brownfield EPA’s proposed rule is in the middle between good and bad. […]
The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association says one of its key legislative priorities this year is to prevent private companies from using eminent domain to get private land. Ag Policy Chairman Jimmie Long says the organization’s legislative progress was halted last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Missouri farmers and virtually all commodity groups […]
Public-interest groups are suing the Environmental Protection Agency over the agency’s re-approval of products containing dicamba, a herbicide controversial for its tendency to drift into neighboring fields and damage farmers’ crops and homeowners’ gardens. Last fall, the EPA green-lighted dicamba use for five years, the third time the agency registered dicamba products. George Kimbrell, legal director at […]
Since 2004, FCS Financial has provided more than $670,000 to Missouri high school seniors seeking higher education. Up to 35 scholarships, each at $1,500 will be awarded to children or grandchildren of FCS Financial members. The scholarship deadline is March 1 and recipients will be notified in April. Applicants must be a graduating senior at […]
Missouri soybean farmers brought impressive yields for the Missouri Soybean Association’s annual competition. Results from Missouri’s soybean yield contest are now finalized with the highest yields topping 100 bushels per acre. Contest winners in the irrigated and non-irrigated categories presented yields of 102.79 and 106.14 bushels per acre, respectively. The contest’s top honors for non-irrigated […]
The 58th annual essay contest sponsored by Farmers’ Electric Cooperative in Chillicothe will look different this year. The Youth Tour trip to Washington, D. C. has been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, however, area high school sophomores and juniors will still have an opportunity to win an all-expense paid experience this summer. Juniors will compete […]
Sometimes it pays to be late. Nitrogen application is one of those times, says University of Missouri Extension nutrient management specialist Peter Scharf. Scharf, who has researched nitrogen application in corn, wheat, and other crops for 35 years, continues to favor spring nitrogen application over fall-applied application, especially during wet years, which are becoming more […]
The Chillicothe Fire Department reports a fire on Wednesday destroyed a garage, a couple of vehicles, a tractor, and other equipment.m The owners were listed as Jim and Linda Souders of 9857 Livingston County Road 2313. Upon arrival at the scene, firefighter and paramedic Zach Parks said a detached two-car garage/machine shed was fully engulfed. […]
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen accepted bids Monday evening, January 11th for advanced metering infrastructure and a dump truck. The accepted AMI metering system bid was for Core and Main for $25,852. Public Works Director Mark Morey recommended that bid based on the amount of strength the sensus radios have to collect data and the use […]
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office confirms there was a minor explosion on January 11th at a contract farm for Smithfield Hog Production of Princeton. Smithfield Hog Production, Missouri General Manager, Michael Rainwater released a written statement saying the company is “deeply saddened” that a team member was “involved in a serious accident.” Rainwater said “Smithfield […]
Missouri 4-H continues its partnership with Feeding Missouri and the Missouri Farmers Care Drive to Feed Kids. To date, efforts have raised more than 400,000 meals to feed Missourians. The third annual food drive runs January through April to allow plenty of time for clubs to plan and carry out their activities, says Anne Reeder, […]
The University of Missouri Extension will offer a three-night class on estate, succession, and retirement planning for farmers and business owners. Extension Agricultural Business Specialist Darla Campbell will teach “Your Farm, Your Business, Your Future” with other Extension specialists and a probate judge on January 19th and 26th and February 2nd from 6 to 9 […]
Chief Administrative Officer Dan Cassidy has retired after serving the organization for 24 years. Cassidy made the announcement after the organization’s annual meeting on December 6. Cassidy has served as CAO since April 2003. From 1996 to 2002 he was the organization’s director of National Legislative Programs. Prior to his career at Missouri Farm Bureau, […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation announced interest rates for January 2021, which are effective January 4-January 31. These rates are used for a variety of farm credit options available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). The CCC’s borrowing rate-based charge is 0.125%, the same as December. The interest rate for crop year commodity […]
The latest COVID-19 relief Bill passed by Congress and signed by the President includes specific instructions on how the money will be spent within agriculture. Gary Crawford reports for the Department of Agriculture. Net income for farmers was up in 2020, but what about next year? Department of Agriculture reporter Gary Crawford provides […]
The Missouri labor market showed further improvement in November 2020. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 17,400 jobs over the month. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points from October 2020 to November 2020, and the civilian labor force increased more than 23,000. However, the labor market still showed substantial losses from […]
The Trenton Police Department has released additional information about the tractor-trailer truck overturning into the ditch near Landes Oil Amoco on December 28th. Lieutenant Larry Smith reports the truck with one unit was unoccupied at the time it overturned. Aaron Bunnell was identified as the operator prior to parking it. Bunnell advised he parked the […]
