Hospital Bed (Photo by Frederic Köberl on Unsplash)

Legislators weigh blocking COVID visitor restrictions at Missouri hospitals, nursing homes

(Missouri Independent) – State Rep. Ed Lewis had just hours to say goodbye. In March 2020, his 89-year-old mother had to go to the hospital after suffering from a fall. Lewis’ sister was their mother’s primary caregiver, but in the pandemic’s first days as hospitals restricted visitors, family members weren’t allowed to stay with her. Lewis […]

Career Development Events

Trenton FFA teams takes 1st place in Northwest Missouri District Career Development Events competition

Five additional contest results have been released from the Northwest Missouri District Career Development events competition held on Tuesday. Trenton FFA teams won first place at districts in ag sales and dairy cattle. Previously, it was announced Trenton had a first-place team for food science. Other Trenton FFA teams have qualified for state in the […]

Career Development Events

FFA judging teams compete in Northwest Missouri District Career Development Events

Numerous FFA judging teams qualified for state competition following the Northwest Missouri District Career Development Events held on Tuesday. Many individuals from area chapters ranked high in the events but are identified only by their initials according to the online results. For agronomy, Gilman city was 1st and North Harrison 4th. Others eligible for state […]

USDA Sign

USDA offers CLEAR30 option for producers to enroll land with expiring conservation contracts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing the signup period for its Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers initiative (CLEAR30) — a nationwide opportunity for certain landowners and agricultural producers currently implementing water quality practices through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to enroll in 30-year contracts, extending the lifespan and strengthening the benefits of important water quality […]

Missouri FFA Jacket with emblem

Results for the Northwest Missouri FFA District competition

The Gilman City FFA Chapter had a team capture first place on Wednesday in the Northwest Missouri FFA District FFA knowledge competition. Gilman City also had the top three ranked individuals. Chillicothe’s team placed second, North Harrison was fourth, and Braymer was seventh. The top eight teams at district qualified for state competition next month […]

Students Participate in Ag Contest Day on NCMC Campus 2022

Students participate in annual NCMC Ag Contest day

Approximately 1,650 high school agriculture students from more than 70 high schools across northern Missouri participated in the annual NCMC Ag contest day held at North Central Missouri College on Thursday, March 17. The contests were held in cooperation with Area 2 Agriculture Educators for students to practice their judging skills in preparation for further […]

NCMC Barton Farm Campus

North Central Missouri College to host Ag Club competition on Thursday

More than 65 area high schools with an estimated 1,500 agriculture students are pre-registered to be on the campus of North Central Missouri College in Trenton this Thursday, March 17, 2022, for the annual NCMC Ag Club Contests. The event is held in cooperation with Area 2 FFA Association Agriculture Instructors. Students will be practicing their […]

Missouri FFA Jacket with emblem

North Missouri FFA chapters take top honors in career development competition in Marshall

FFA Chapters in Chillicothe, Meadville, Gilman City, and Green City had teams place in the top six for career development contests on Tuesday, hosted by the Marshall FFA Alumni. Chillicothe received first place in team competition among 23 teams in livestock judging. Chillicothe’s knowledge team placed third out of 25. Meadville FFA had its entomology […]

Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, Chair of the House Children and Families Committee speaks during a hearing Oct. 5, 2021. (photo by of Tim Bommel - Missouri House Communications)

Change to bill cutting Missouri sales tax on food transformed it into massive tax hike

(Missouri Independent) – With a change of just a few words, a bill to expand the sales tax exemption for food purchases became a bill virtually ending the exemption, infuriating its sponsor and forcing a Missouri House committee to give it another look. On Monday, the House Rules – Administrative Oversight Committee voted to send state Rep. […]

Farm Scene

Farmers who plant cover crops will be eligible for crop insurance premium subsidies

Farmers who plant cover crops will be eligible for crop insurance premium subsidies worth $5 an acre for the second year in a row. To qualify for the payments from USDA, farmers must report their cover crop acreage to the Farm Service Agency by March 15. Last year, USDA made payments totaling $59.5 million for 12.2 million acres of cover […]

Parson signing new legislation

Governor Parson makes appointments to seven boards and commissions

Governor Mike Parson announced seven appointments to various boards and commissions. Sheriff Jim Arnott, of Springfield, was appointed to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.  Sheriff Arnott has served as the Greene County Sheriff since 2008. He has also simultaneously served as the Interim Chief of the Fair Grove Police Department and Ash Grove Police […]

Screenshot from Virtual press conference of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

Vilsack: Fertilizer prices are biggest worry for farmers after Russian invasion

(Missouri Independent) – The Russian invasion of Ukraine this week might drive up the costs of farm fertilizers globally — which nearly quadrupled last year in price in the United States and remain high — and presents an opportunity for unscrupulous companies to artificially inflate those prices further, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “That’s […]

Little Otter Creek Reservoir graphic

Public invited to a recreational planning meeting on March 5 at Little Otter Creek Reservoir

Visitors can provide input on outdoor recreation they would like to see offered at the Little Otter Creek Reservoir at a recreational planning event to be held at the Polo Community Center on March 5, 2022, from 2 to 5 pm. The event will include exhibits, interactive displays and games, models, and activities. Missouri Department of […]

American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall spoke at the organization’s 2022 annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia (photo provided by American Farm Bureau Federation)

American Farm Bureau Federation claims it’s the ‘voice of agriculture,’ Others beg to differ

(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published as a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The American Farm Bureau Federation calls itself the “voice of agriculture,” a slogan it trademarked in 2007. But as the divide between agribusiness and small farmers has grown in recent decades, a unified voice of agriculture has become harder to […]

Verde Resources Website

Verde Resources to expand to La Belle, investing more than $5.6 million and creating 32 new jobs

Verde Resources, Inc., a commercial producer, and wholesaler of regenerative compost announced that it will establish a processing and packaging facility in La Belle, investing more than $5.6 million and creating 32 new jobs. The company will establish a line using its Biofraction™ technology, capable of processing 100 tons of organic bio-waste per day into […]

Farm Bill News Graphic

Congress clashes over climate in early farm bill talks

(Missouri Independent) – Congressional Democrats on Wednesday touted conservation programs for farmers and ranchers as key tools for limiting agriculture’s impact on the global climate as they took initial steps to create the next farm bill. One Republican’s response: So what? “We’ve talked primarily about climate change, and I gotta to be honest with you,” […]

CRP Website Revised (Conservation Reserve Program website)

USDA announces Conservation Reserve Program signups for 2022

Agricultural producers and landowners can sign up soon for the Conservation Reserve Program,  a cornerstone conservation program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a key tool in the Biden-Harris Administration effort to address climate change and achieve other natural resource benefits. The General CRP signup will run from Jan. 31 to March 11, and the […]

A partially melted tire hangs on a tree near Paradise, Kansas. The surrounding land was scorched by a wildfire in December 2021

December 2021 was the warmest on record in Missouri and Kansas – by a long shot

(Missouri Independent) – Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Average temperatures over the last half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state — and across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that forced […]