The Missouri USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced March 30th as the cut-off date to apply for Fiscal Year 2020 funds through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program -Environmental Quality Incentive Program (RCPP-EQIP). EQIP allows farmers, ranchers, forestland managers, and landowners an opportunity to conserve natural resources by […]
The USDA says it’s relaxing some hemp requirements under its interim final rule. Under its new guidance, USDA will delay enforcement of labs to be registered by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Also, hemp producers will not be required to use a DEA-registered “reverse distributor” or law enforcement to dispose of plants that are not compliant. USDA […]
USDA officials announced a March 20, 2020 application cutoff for Missouri agricultural producers interested in renewing their General 2014-1, 2015-1, 2016-1 and 2016-RCPP Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts. To be eligible for the renewal opportunity, the existing contract must expire in 2020. General contracts are only allowed one renewal contract. The CSP program helps agricultural […]
Changes are coming in the business structure of GFG Ag Services that will include a temporary closing later this week of the office location in Trenton to prepare for the changes. According to Troy Smith, ownership of the GFG feed division will be changing effective March 1st. The new owner is Consumers Oil and Supply […]
Applications are being accepted for the 2020 Northeast Missouri Livestock Person of the Year Award for an individual who has made a significant contribution to the livestock industry in Northeast Missouri and/or beyond. The applications are open to Northeast Missouri counties, including Linn, Putnam, Sullivan, Adair, Macon, and Schuyler. Eligible applicants can be livestock producers, […]
The chief veterinarian for the National Pork Producers Council, Dr. Liz Wagstrom, says the U.S. has made good progress in preparing for a potential outbreak of African swine fever. “We are a lot better off than we were two years ago,” Wagstrom says. “I believe because of our high biosecurity herds that, even if we […]
The I-35 Cattlemen’s Association is accepting auction item donations for its scholarship dinner later this month to benefit the association’s Youth in Agriculture Scholarship Fund. Cattlemen’s Night at The Pearl will be held at The Pearl at 5301 Northwest Tom Creek Road south of Hamilton the evening of February 29th. Social hour and a cash […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the availability of two programs that protect hemp producers’ crops from natural disasters. A pilot hemp insurance program through Multi-Peril Crop Insurance provides coverage against loss of yield because of insurable causes of loss for hemp grown for fiber, grain or Cannabidiol (CBD) oil and the Noninsured Crop […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reminds agricultural producers interested in the Conservation Reserve Program 2020 general signup to enroll by February 28, 2020. This signup is available to farmers and private landowners who are either enrolling for the first time or re-enrolling for another 10- to 15-year term. “This is the first opportunity for general […]
The Big Muddy Mini Maker Faire 2020 Call for Makers is open and invites individuals and groups to be makers on March 7, 2020, at Restoration Natatorium in St. Joseph. In its third year, The Big Muddy Mini Maker Faire continues to grow and features makers from around the region. The Big Muddy Mini Maker […]
The sea of native warm-season grass on Gene Cowherd’s Barry County farm is a reminder of a time when buffalo grazed tall prairie grasses. Cowherd’s first-year grasses stand more than 6 feet high with thick, green undergrowth. The grasses are part of a diverse grazing system that also includes alfalfa, Bermuda grass, orchardgrass, red clover, […]
USDA’s Farm Service Agency encourages agricultural producers to enroll now in the Agriculture Risk Loss and Price Loss Coverage programs. March 15, 2020 is the enrollment deadline for the 2019 crop year. Although more than 200,000 producers have enrolled to date, FSA anticipates 1.5 million producers will enroll for ARC and PLC. By enrolling soon, […]
The 2018 Farm Bill contains several new provisions that enable farmers and landowners to make decisions regarding their involvement in federal farm programs. University of Missouri Extension and USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) will host an educational meeting on Thursday, December 19th from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Missouri Department of Conservation Regional Office, […]
The University of Missouri Extension offers free industrial hemp production workshops in December and January. MU Extension agronomist Greg Luce and agricultural economist Joe Horner will talk on growing industrial hemp and crop enterprise budgets. During the presentations at Marshall and Carrollton, Missouri Department of Agriculture representatives will give an overview of regulations and the […]
The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced how producers can apply for a registration to grow industrial hemp in Missouri during the 2020 growing season. Interested producers must complete a written application, create parcel maps and complete a fingerprint criminal history background check within 30 days of submitting their application. Starting Dec. 16, 2019, producers will […]
Driving down the road in Missouri, you can see most of the fields have been combined and some farmers have applied anhydrous, unlike last year. Everyone still remembers last fall with the muddy conditions and having to push off anhydrous application until the spring, causing a shortage this past year. A notable shortage in some […]
Chillicothe FFA students recently participated in the Area II Fall Speaking Contest in Gallatin. Rachel Holt competed in the Missouri Farm Bureau Contest, Madelyn Wilford competed in the Missouri Pork Producers Contest, Abbey Hayen competed in the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives, Seth Hansen competed in the Missouri Teach Ag, Josh Eckert competed in the Missouri […]
Students from Chillicothe were among the more than 250 high school students and teachers from around the state who attended a career awareness day on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center in Chillicothe. The conference, “Communicating News About Science and Agriculture,” focused on storytelling in science, agriculture, journalism, and communication-related areas. The […]
Farmers hearing beef focus talks at the Missouri Livestock Symposium will take home tips to use. Beef is just one track in the annual meeting, Dec. 6-7 in Kirksville. Eric Bailey and Jordan Thomas, University of Missouri Extension beef specialists, usually team up to teach heifer care. Now they’ll tell about feeding and breeding cows […]
Show-Me-Select replacement heifers sold for $1,672 average on 190 head. The sale at Joplin Regional Stockyards was the first of six sales across Missouri this fall. This year’s price topped a $1,586 average from one year ago, says Eldon Cole. The University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist, Mount Vernon, manages the sale. The heifers come […]
