USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rural Development will keep customers, partners, and stakeholders updated as more actions are taken to better serve rural America. Rural Housing Service Single-Family Housing Effective March 19, borrowers with USDA single-family housing Direct […]
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced a collaboration with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo, and others to deliver nearly 1,000,000 meals a week to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due to COVID-19: “Feeding children who are affected by school closures is a top priority […]
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education continues to receive many questions about COVID-19 and how it impacts student attendance, school closure, assessments, and virtual education opportunities. We are aware that local education agencies must consider a number of factors when making decisions in this current situation. Administrative Memo COM-20-001, issued from the Commissioner […]
Farmers and ranchers may apply to enroll grasslands in the Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands signup beginning March 16. The signup runs through May 15. “Through this CRP Grasslands signup, farmers and ranchers can protect grasslands, rangelands, and pastures, while maintaining the land as working grazing lands,” said Kim Viers, Acting State Executive Director. “The program […]
While some members of the public have expressed concerns about the Coronavirus and the food supply, experts say its unlikely coronavirus spreads through food. While the USDA and FDA have not released any specific details for how Coronavirus could affect food safety, the World Health Organization says consumers should practice good food safety measures. During […]
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 […]
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, except for the nearby contract, live cattle futures continued to tumble on another round of follow-through selling, with additional pressure from the volatility in the broader markets, lack of support from this week’s cash business, and weakness in wholesale values. Feeder cattle futures were sharply lower on the same factors […]
Soybeans were modestly lower on fund and technical selling, with relatively modest week to week losses thanks to a couple of days of gains. Commodities in general and the broader market continued to respond to concerns about coronavirus and its’ impact on demand and the global economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than […]
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 […]
The National Weather Service says Missouri faces above-average flood risk this spring because the soil is still saturated from last spring’s flooding. About 1.2 million acres of Missouri farmland was damaged by flooding in 2019. But, Missouri Agriculture Director Chris Chinn says the Governor’s Flood Advisory Task Force has received a glimmer of good news […]
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 […]
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were up modestly ahead of widespread direct business. February was $.20 higher at $121.32 and April was up $.05 at $119.80. Feeder cattle were down on the firm move in corn. March was $.70 lower at $135.20 and April was down $.07 at $137.50. By Friday afternoon, light to […]
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is looking for organizations throughout the state to help feed thousands of children who would otherwise go without meals during the summer months when school is not in session. The Summer Food Service Program reimburses organizations for meals they serve to children under the age of 18 […]
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 […]
United States Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy announced on Tuesday that five Missouri projects will receive 60.9 million dollars in USDA funding for high-speed broadband infrastructure. The USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program announcement was made at the Metcalf Mechanical Resource Center at the North Central Missouri College Barton Farm […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy announced USDA has invested $60.9 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve e-Connectivity for more than 11,000 rural households, 81 farms, 73 businesses, 16 educational facilities, 12 critical community facilities, and two health care facilities in rural Missouri. […]
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen approved recommending the Friends of Gallatin financing a five-year note with the United States Department of Agriculture at two and three-quarters percent to purchase a vacuum trailer from Ditch Witch. The vote was taken after Public Works Director Mark Morey reported the lowest bid for the vacuum trailer came from […]
Mexico continues to be a driver of export demand for U.S. pork. The USDA says more than 30,000 tons of U.S. pork were sold during the week ending January 16th, more than a third of that to Mexico, and while purchases by China continue to fall short of expectations, physical shipments were strong at nearly […]
United States Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Donald “DJ” LaVoy will make an announcement in Trenton regarding e-connectivity funding. Missouri Governor Mike Parson and LaVoy will participate in the Reconnect Pilot Program ceremony at the North Central Missouri College Barton Farm Campus Tuesday morning at 9:30. Tens of millions of dollars in USDA funding […]
