United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson announced that USDA is investing $14 million in rural economic development projects in 10 states. “When we invest in infrastructure, we’re investing in the people of rural America to help create thriving communities where they can grow and prosper. These loans […]
The Missouri Department of Agriculture, working in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Missouri State University, has confirmed the first finding of an Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) in Missouri. Missouri becomes the 16th state with a presence of the tick species, following the first confirmed report of the Asian […]
The Missouri Sunshine Law was introduced in the General Assembly as Senate Bill 1 in 1973. With the passage of Senate Bill 1, Missouri became one of the earliest advocates of ensuring that meetings and records would be open to the public throughout the state. Missouri’s commitment to openness in government is clearly stated in […]
(Missouri Independent) – Rolling outages that left thousands without power in February were driven overwhelmingly by fuel shortages — especially in natural gas, executives with the Southwest Power Pool said Monday. This winter sustained frigid temperatures across the Midwest and South forced huge demand for energy while the weather made generators struggle to keep up. The Southwest Power […]
A new state task force is seeking comments and suggestions from the public on how to strengthen protections and services for Missouri sexual assault victims. Comments and suggestions are being gathered through an online survey at this link. The survey closes on September 30, 2021. The Missouri Rights of Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force […]
As a fourth-generation cattle farmer, Jared Decker knows that cattle suffer from health and productivity issues when they are taken from one environment–which the herd has spent generations adapting to–to a place with a different climate, a different elevation, or even different grass. But as a researcher at the University of Missouri, Decker also sees […]
Casey Lawrence, Director of Sunshine Law Compliance and Records Management from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, will provide a Missouri Sunshine Law presentation and update on the North Central Missouri College campus on August 3, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. in Cross Hall 208. This presentation is at no cost and open to the public. Those […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that Kansas-City-area contractor Brian S. Pummell will pay back over $26,000 in restitution to Missourians who paid Pummell for work he never performed. “Protecting consumers is an important duty of the Attorney General’s Office, and the dedicated investigators, hotline operators, and attorneys in the Consumer Protection Section of my […]
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s Local Records Division is pleased to announce 23 grants totaling $283,584. These awards include 17 Local Records Grant Program awards totaling $144,809 and 6 Electronic Records Grant Initiative grants worth $139,775. “My office is pleased to help local communities in our state with records preservation,” Secretary Ashcroft said. “It’s a […]
Agricultural producers and landowners can apply for the Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands signup from today until August 20. This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated signup options to provide greater incentives for producers and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two national priority zones. […]
Landowners lease roughly 35% of Missouri crop, pasture, and woodland acreage to renters every year. Rented acreage has increased in recent years as more land has transitioned to the next generation, interest rates have incentivized land investments, and interest in carbon markets and working land conservation has grown, said Ben Brown, extension economist with the […]
At least nine states and the District of Columbia have recently reported numerous unexplained sick and dying songbirds. To date, avian and wildlife health experts with the Missouri Department of Conservation have not received similar reports, and there are no other indications of unexplained death or illness in Missouri’s wild birds. “Though we have not […]
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United States Department of Agriculture is investing $307 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 34 states and Puerto Rico (PDF, 224 KB). The investments being announced follow President Biden’s announcement last week of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework that will make the largest investment in clean […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency began accepting nominations for county committee members on June 15. Elections will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas for these members who make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2021 election must be postmarked or received in the […]
(Missouri Info Corps) – New crop diseases pervading Missouri have been linked to climate change, and they’re directly impacting crop production. Climate change has already made Missouri a little more hot and humid but has also caused some diseases for crops like corn and soybeans to become more prevalent. If not treated properly, farmers could […]
Governor Mike Parson signed SB 51 into law, which protects health care providers, businesses, religious organizations, and others from being held liable in COVID-19 exposure civil actions. “When COVID-19 first struck Missouri, health care providers, manufacturers, businesses, churches, schools, and other entities quickly altered their operations to protect public health and accommodate the needs of […]
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway released a citizen-requested audit of the Western Cass Fire Protection District, which is located in western Cass County. The audit made recommendations related to spending and budgeting to ensure transparent and effective use of taxpayer dollars. “The citizens served by the Western Cass Fire Protection District requested this audit to […]
The University of Missouri Extension invites northwest Missouri residents to register for Neighborhood Leadership Academy, a 10-session leadership training program focused on community building principles. NLA will be offered in a virtual format on Monday evenings September 13 through November 15. Registration is now open and can be found by visiting the University of Missouri […]
(Missouri Independent) – In a win for transparency advocates, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that government agencies cannot charge for time attorneys spend reviewing public records that are requested under the state’s Sunshine Law. In a 6-0 decision, the judges ruled that a lower court erred by siding with Gov. Mike Parson in a lawsuit […]
Agricultural producers in Missouri who have not yet completed their crop acreage reports after planting should make an appointment with their U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) office before the applicable deadline. “Many USDA programs require producers to file an accurate crop acreage report by the applicable deadline,” said Jeremy Mosley, State Executive Director […]
