USDA Issues $1.68 billion in payments to producers enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is issuing $1.68 billion in payments to agricultural producers and landowners for the 21.9 million acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which provides annual rental payment for land devoted to conservation purposes. “CRP is one of the many ‘tools’ that USDA offers to producers and private landowners to […]

Jobs Report

Missouri monthly jobs report for September, 2020

The Missouri labor market’s recovery resumed in September 2020. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 13,000 jobs over the month, and over-the-year job losses from COVID-19 shutdowns dropped below 125,000. Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate went down by 2.1 percentage points in September 2020, decreasing to 4.9 percent from an August 2020 rate of 7.0 […]

McCloskeys Defending Home in St. Louis

Missouri’s governor releases $133 million in funding; says he’d pardon the McCloskeys

Missouri’s governor has announced that he is releasing about $133 million in funding that was previously withheld, saying the state’s unemployment rate has improved and state revenues outpaced expectations. Governor Mike Parson (R) made the announcement Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson City while addressing Capitol reporters. He’s releasing $95 million in CARES Act funding and $40 million […]

Great seal of Missouri and US Flag with money

Trump Administration invests more than $1 million in rural business development in Missouri

The Trump Administration, along with the Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director for Missouri Jeff Case, today announced 20 organizations statewide are being awarded a total of $1,068,984 to create jobs and increase economic opportunities throughout the state. “When rural, small businesses expand and do well, it leads to a positive impact on the […]

Cow and cattle herd

2020: The year of the cull cow

 Now is a good time for beef producers to take advantage of stronger than normal prices for culled cattle, says University of Missouri Extension agricultural business specialist Wesley Tucker. Fat trimmings become a value-added product for hamburgers. Demand for hamburger increased during COVID-19 as more people ate at home instead of restaurants or schools. COVID-19 […]

NCMC Geyer Hall

North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees address lengthy agenda at Tuesday meeting

The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees approved informational technology purchases on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. One purchase was for replacement data centers, wired/wireless/firewall networking equipment, video surveillance equipment, and professional services from CDWG for $1,184,899 as part of an IT Infrastructure Refresh project. Proposals were received from four vendors. Chief Information Officer Jennifer […]

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley

Senator Josh Hawley: increases in social isolation from pandemic may be contributing to surges in drug addiction

Missouri’s junior senator is urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the mental health needs of Americans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) has written a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, calling on the agency to deploy more of the $425 million that Congress appropriated to […]

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update

Grundy County COVID-19 cases increase by eleven

The number of COVID-19 cases in Grundy County has increased by 11 since Sunday. The Grundy County Health Department reports there a total of 102 cases. Ninty-four of the cases are confirmed, and eight are probable. Probable cases are described as meeting clinical and epidemiologic evidence with no confirmatory laboratory testing performed. There has been […]