“It was a great night to be a buyer,” Eldon Cole said after the Southwest Missouri Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer sale. Average price on 311 heifers was $1,586. That’s almost $200 per head below Cole’s prediction. The University of Missouri livestock specialist has managed 39 heifer sales. He knows well-managed heifers and what they bring to […]
Missouri beef herd owners learn profits and risks of sending their calves to a feedlot. They’ve entered 50 Missouri Steer Feedouts run by the University of Missouri Extension. To cut risks in learning, they enter samples of five to 20 head, said Eldon Cole, MU Extension livestock specialist. The Missouri Steer Feedout for winter-spring born […]
United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director Jeff Case announced Thursday that the USDA is investing more than $1,200,000 to improve rural healthcare in Grundy County. The Rural Development investment will be used to install a heating and cooling system and energy-efficient windows at the Grundy County Nursing Home District of Trenton. The […]
With a November 16 deadline approaching, Pheasants and Quail Forever is encouraging farmers and ranchers to consider utilizing a federal program that provides financial and technical assistance to establish habitat that benefits Monarch butterflies and other wildlife. Jake Swafford, Coordinating Wildlife Biologist, said the Monarch Initiative administered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) […]
Replacement heifers to upgrade cow-calf herds will be offered in six Show-Me-Select sales this fall. Also, owners can restock cow herds culled in the drought. With strength in beef demand and rains growing pastures, herd owners can rebuild. Dry weather’s impact on forages had farmers concerned. “Optimism of cow-calf herd owners should return,” says David […]
The USDA has designated several Missouri counties as primary natural disaster areas. Thirty-eight Missouri counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas from the recent drought. Producers who suffered losses can call a Farm Service Agency office to see if they are eligible for emergency loans and the requirements. The emergency credit […]
United States Department of Agriculture Missouri Farm Service Agency Executive Director Brent Hampy has announced that more than 86 million dollars will be paid to Missouri farms that enrolled in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage for 2017 market downturns. Missouri FSA will also distribute more than 102 million dollars in Conservation Reserve Program […]
Post-harvest is a good time for producers to review their liability insurance coverage, says University of Missouri economist Ray Massey. Recent issues with dicamba spray drift highlight the need for farmers to understand their third-party liability due to herbicide applications, Massey says. Massey recommends that farmers consult with an insurance or legal professional experienced in […]
Mother Nature has much to say about soybean yield and grain quality almost every year, says University of Missouri Extension soybean specialist Bill Wiebold. This year was no exception. Several important soybean-growing regions in Missouri experienced severe drought this year. The most worrisome effect from drought is yield loss, but producers face several other effects […]
The United State Department of Agriculture continues to invest in rural America with more than $4.8 billion in payments being made, starting this month, to agricultural producers through the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Conservation Reserve (CRP) programs. Approximately $3 billion in payments will be made under the […]
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will issue $9.4 million in grants to provide enhanced training, outreach, and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers. This funding is available through the USDA’s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known […]
Pastures grow green for farmers. When managed well, pastures add dollars to farms. University of Missouri economists reports an added output of $125 million per year from using skills taught for management-intensive grazing (MiG) at grazing schools. “That’s annual impact, not cumulative,” says Craig Roberts, MU Extension forage specialist. Payoffs come in extra milk or […]
A program can determine whether to keep or toss leftovers. The USDA has a mobile app called Food Keeper that can tell if food is still good to eat, based on the contents, when the food was put in the fridge, the fridge temperature and how long the food has been sitting at […]
United States Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri has called for answers regarding insufficient staffing levels at US Department of Agriculture offices in Missouri. McCaskill wrote to Natural Resources Conservation Service Acting Chief Leonard Jordan saying failure to hire and retain full-time staff during hard times puts producers and natural resources at risk. She added that […]
Sixth District Congressman Sam Graves, during a visit to Trenton this week, was questioned on President Trump’s trade tariffs with other countries, including their impact on agriculture. Graves, who’s also a farmer, was asked his thoughts on the USDA programs offering financial assistance in response to the tariffs. The federal farm bill […]
Sixth District Congressman Sam Graves was in Trenton Tuesday afternoon stopping for a visit at the Nestle’s plant. The visit included a presentation on Nestle’s by Plant Manager Andy Darley, a tour of the production facility, and sampling the Chef Mate products made in Trenton. Nestles’ purchased the factory from ConAgra Foods the first of […]
USDA Rural Development State Director Jeff Case announced today that the USDA is investing over $734,000 in eight (8) projects that will build community infrastructure and provide essential services for over 57,000 rural Missourians. “The commitment to improving infrastructure and essential services throughout rural America is a priority of this administration,” said Case. “USDA is […]
The University of Missouri Extension will hold workshops throughout the state on how to attract and keep quality farm laborers. “This one-day workshop was developed by MU Extension to help you improve your labor management and finances and protect your business,” says MU Extension agricultural economist Ryan Milhollin. Attendees will learn tips to recruit, train, […]
Today (Monday) is Columbus Day, which is a federal, state and county holiday. Brian Hauswirth with Missourinet has the story. The holiday celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americans in 1492. Most federal, Missouri and county offices are closed today, except emergency services such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol, […]
University of Missouri Extension researchers are among the recipients of a new five-year, $4.34 million grant from USDA to study water and nutrient recycling, says MU Extension agricultural engineer Teng Lim. The grant, “Water and Nutrient Recycling: A Decision Tool and Synergistic Innovative Technology,” includes five universities: MU, University of Arkansas, Colorado School of Mines, […]
