The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for anticipated funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Interested individuals, community organizations, and research institutions working to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Missouri should submit their application by March 8, 2021. “Specialty Crop Grants are one of the many financial assistance options […]
Forage yield and quality improve when legumes are frost-seeded at the right time, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts. Frost seeding, a method of broadcasting seeds over snow- or frost-covered pastures, improves poor pastures at a low cost. Seeds work their way into the soil and germinate as the ground freezes […]
An upcoming meeting for row crop producers will be held next Thursday evening, January 28th on Zoom. The meeting will provide updates from State Specialists and is free of charge. The meeting will be held from 6-8 pm. Dr. Kevin Bradley, State Extension Weed Scientist, will start the meeting with an update on weed management […]
Producers selling local foods can learn about best practices, state regulations, and available resources at a four-part online series in March presented by the University of Missouri Extension. “This series will help farmers and other food producers gain knowledge to help them sell their food products direct to consumers in these ever-changing times,” said Leslie […]
Sometimes it pays to be late. Nitrogen application is one of those times, says University of Missouri Extension nutrient management specialist Peter Scharf. Scharf, who has researched nitrogen application in corn, wheat, and other crops for 35 years, continues to favor spring nitrogen application over fall-applied application, especially during wet years, which are becoming more […]
Governor Mike Parson announced five appointments to various boards and commissions and filled seven-county office vacancies. Governor Parson also named the new Acting Director of the Division of Professional Registration. Samuel Adams, of Ferguson, was appointed to the State Board of Mediation. Mr. Adams has served as business representative and organizer for the St. Louis – Kansas City […]
The University of Missouri Extension offers a virtual workshop about industrial hemp from 12:30-2:00 p.m. January 11 through the 15th. Topics include a legislative summary and regulatory update, agronomic practices, and pests, uses for hemp, crop enterprise budgets, and processing and contracts. Presenters include MU Extension specialists, CBD-hemp growers, and processors, processors from the Tiger […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation announced interest rates for January 2021, which are effective January 4-January 31. These rates are used for a variety of farm credit options available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). The CCC’s borrowing rate-based charge is 0.125%, the same as December. The interest rate for crop year commodity […]
Under the Beef Check-off program, producers and beef importers pay a $1-per-head assessment on animals they market and equivalent on beef they import. Missouri retains half of each dollar collected for marketing and research in state as identified by the Council’s board. On this episode of Driving Demand, a content partnership with Missouri Beef Industry […]
As of December 1, there were 77.5 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, down 1 percent from December 2019 and down 1 percent from September 1, 2020, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Other key findings in the report were: Of […]
If it’s a weed, spray it. That’s the mindset that most in the agriculture industry held for years, however, that thinking no longer works as more weeds become resistant to herbicides, says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist. Bradley uses waterhemp as an example. Waterhemp is one of 14 herbicide-resistant weed species in […]
Researchers at the University of Missouri’s Southwest Research Center are inviting beef producers to take part in a program to identify beef cows that use feed efficiently. MU Extension researchers will mine data from the GrowSafe system to help producers select breeding stock cows that eat less than other cows while producing calves with similar […]
Research findings from the University of Missouri show heavier drift damage from dicamba and 2,4-D is more likely when those herbicides are sprayed in stable air. MU Extension weed scientist Mandy Bish says those synthetic auxins tend to hang in the air when there’s no wind, “So what happens is, when you get these herbicides […]
The Missouri State Fair and the Youth in Agriculture Committee are accepting applications for Youth in Agriculture scholarships for Missouri high school seniors graduating in 2021. The application form can be found on the Fair’s website. Applications should be submitted to the Missouri State Fair and must be postmarked by February 1, 2021. Applicants must […]
Tiger Fiber is breaking ground on a hemp processing plant near St. Louis and is looking at possible locations for a processing plant in northwest Missouri. Selby says hemp could become a great new cash crop for northwest Missouri farmers. United Cooperatives of Plattsburg and Osborn has made an investment in Tiger Fiber, […]
At the recent Kirksville Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer sale, 135 heifers averaged $1,952. Despite the current volatility in the cattle market, buyers were willing to invest in the future, said Zac Erwin, sale coordinator. “I had a feeling the demand was out there but wasn’t quite sure how all the outside factors would affect the market […]
The University of Missouri will host a free meeting for cattle producers. The meeting will be held online via Zoom on December 8th from 6 to 8 o’clock. Viewing locations will be available, including at the North Central Missouri College Barton Farm Campus of Trenton, Harrison County Extension Center of Bethany, and Hundley-Whaley Research Center […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the signup periods for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the CRP Grasslands in 2021. Signup for general CRP will be open from January 4, 2021, to February 12, 2021, and signup for CRP Grasslands runs from March 15, 2021, to April 23, 2021. Both programs are competitive and […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reminds dairy producers that the deadline to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for the calendar year 2021 is Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) opened DMC signup in October to help producers manage economic risk brought on by milk price and feed cost disparities. “2020 has been […]
At the right price, wheat middlings are a good source of protein, fiber, and phosphorus for livestock says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Kendra Graham. Wheat middlings, or midds, are lightweight feeds used in mixes. The middlings are a byproduct of the wheat milling industry that is not flour. Flaky and loose, they are […]
