CAFO Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation

COVID-19 pandemic hits livestock farmers hard

Missouri Farm Bureau public affairs director Eric Bohl says the COVID-19 crisis has hit livestock farmers hard. First, stay-at-home orders destroyed demand from restaurants and schools as well as a large portion of the meat and dairy market. As the pandemic grew, it began to impact employees at meat processing plants which caused several processors […]

Unemployment Benefits Graphic

500K Missourians file for unemployment since mid-March

State unemployment figures out today show 52,000 Missourians filed for unemployment last week – bringing the overall total since mid-March to more than half a million people requesting jobless aid. Last week’s figure represents a small dip from the previous week but it’s still a massive shift in Missouri unemployment numbers. Before the coronavirus fallout, […]

Missouri State Parks

Missouri State Parks cancels 2020 Katy Trail Ride

Out of an abundance of caution and to protect participants amid ongoing COVID-19 concerns, Missouri State Parks and the Missouri State Parks Foundation have canceled the 2020 Katy Trail Ride scheduled to begin Monday, June 22. The five-day, 240-mile annual ride, which takes travelers through many of Missouri’s rural communities, along with open fields and […]

Budget Graphic

Missouri House approves $34.9 billion budget, following heated debate on Medicaid expansion

The Missouri House voted Wednesday afternoon to give final approval to a $34.9 billion state operating budget. GOP leaders say it’s a budget that’s about $146 million less than the current budget. Most House members wore masks during the debate, which got heated during a discussion about Medicaid expansion. Due to COVID-19 concerns, there were just three […]

Missouri National Guard

Missouri National Guard providing transportation assistance as part of COVID-19 response

The Missouri National Guard is providing transportation of critical equipment throughout the state in coordination with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) as part of the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. A wide variety of supplies are being delivered by the Guard to hospitals, testing sites, and other locations when primary transportation options […]

Missouri Governor Mike Parson

Governor Parson announces first phase of “Show Me Strong Recovery Plan” beginning May 4, 2020

Governor Mike Parson announced the first phase of the “Show Me Strong Recovery” Plan outlining how Missouri will gradually begin to reopen economic and social activity on Monday, May 4, 2020.  Governor Parson was joined by Missouri Hospital Association President and CEO Herb Kuhn, MO HealthNet Director Todd Richardson, Missouri Department of Economic Development Director […]

Sales Tax

Missouri’s lack of e-commerce use tax means missing out on revenue from items sold online

As Missouri moves to reopen the state’s economy while still respecting social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, city and county government leaders warn of dire financial problems due to Missouri’s lack of an e-commerce use tax. Callaway County Presiding Commissioner Gary Jungermann said the failure of the Missouri legislature to pass an e-commerce […]

Hogs

As work at meat processing plants slows, hog producers may want to feed pigs cheaper diets and hold them longer

University of Missouri Extension swine nutritionist Marcia Shannon says producers can feed more fiber and less fat to slow growth.  “This is a good time to move to feeding low-energy, high-fiber diets with an adjusted lysine-to-calorie ratio and remove any growth-promoting technologies,” Shannon says. Fiber, a poor source of energy, is cheap and fills pigs […]