Smithfield Food Website

Mercer County Sheriff confirms explosion at Smithfield contract farm

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 […]

Tar Spot on corn leaf public domain version

Tar spot found in northeast Missouri cornfields

Missouri corn growers should scout for an emerging crop disease, tar spot, in 2021, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette. She identified tar spot in four far northeastern Missouri counties: Scotland, Lewis, and Clark in 2019 and Marion in 2020. She expects it to spread in the northern half of Missouri and […]

Coronavirus in Prisons

Missouri Department of Corrections implements technology to cut COVID-19 infection rate within prisons

Implementation of three technological innovations in the Missouri Department of Corrections aims to cut COVID-19 infection rates in Missouri state prisons and other facilities. These strategies: Kill the virus in the air Kill the virus on surfaces Detect the virus in wastewater The department now has ionization generators — air purifying devices that destroy 99.4% […]

Online Conference Graphic

University of Missouri online crop conference set for December 1st and 2nd

Farmers and crop specialists can hear updates from some of the nation’s leading agricultural researchers Dec. 1-2 at the 2020 University of Missouri Crop Management Conference. Due to Missouri COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s conference is offered live online, said MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley. Technology discussions lead the conference. Bradley tells about MU research […]

Coyote standing in field (Photo Credit Mo Dept of Conservation)

Missouri Department of Conservation revises regulations regarding coyote hunting and invasive species control

The Missouri Department of Conservation updated regulations to the Wildlife Code of Missouri regarding coyote hunting and feral hog control at its Sept. 4 Conservation Commission meeting in Jefferson City. The change comes in response to citizen requests to the Regulations Committee to use night vision, infrared, thermal imagery equipment, or artificial light to hunt […]