Farm & Agriculture

Beef artificial insemination school set for April 7-9

University of Missouri Extension in Howard County and Select Sires will host a beef artificial insemination school April 7-8. The school is at the MU Beef Research and Teaching Farm, 5151 Old Millers Road, Columbia. The class is $350. Preregister by March 31. “The school is intended to introduce...

Shea Farrell, a graduate student at the MU Division of Plant Sciences, checks pollinator seed mixes for Palmer amaranth seed. MU weed scientists research ways that Palmer amaranth spreads to Missouri fields. Photo by Eric Oseland

MU studies pollinator mixes as one source of Palmer amaranth seeds

University of Missouri researchers, under the direction of MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley, are finding that many popular pollinator mixes contain pigweed seed. More than 60 percent of mixes screened by graduate student Eric Oseland had seeds of Palmer amaranth, the No. 1 weed to watch in...

Palmer amaranth. Photo by Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California

Palmer amaranth invades about 5 more Missouri counties each year

Waterhemp and Palmer amaranth are easily confused. They are like ugly distant cousins at a family reunion. They look alike until you see them side by side. Their differences become apparent upon closer examination. Palmer amaranth is the bigger bully of the two. It takes over fields, choking out...

Eradication is needed before planting new novel-endophyte varieties.

Toxic tall fescue resists herbicide but smothers under a cover crop

Killing old stands of tall fescue pastures takes an all-out assault. Kentucky 31, the toxic tall fescue, doesn’t die easy. The K-31 has a good feature. It’s hardy. That lets it withstand hazards from pests to droughts to overgrazing. Herd owners like that. However, K-31’s strength comes from a...

MU Extension offers farm business class for women

University of Missouri Extension will soon begin a new session of Annie’s Project, a farm management class for women. Farm women and women landowners learn new skills in the six-session evening class, said Mary Sobba, MU Extension agricultural business specialist. Classes in Kirksville, Mexico and...

Dairy revisions discussed for next farm bill

Congress starts farm bill talks; dairy revisions being discussed

U.S. dairy industry faced difficult economics in 2016 with dropping milk prices. However, many producers felt the government safety net in the 2014 farm bill did little to help. As work starts on the 2018 farm bill, the House Agriculture Committee heard shortcomings of the present act and...

Vesicular disease causes lesions in pigs.

Pig disease on upswing in U.S.

Pork producers need to know what to do if a vesicular disease strikes their operation. The Seneca Valley virus (SVV) disease is on the upswing in the United States, says Corinne Bromfield, University of Missouri Extension veterinarian. The Swine Health Information Center reported that diagnostics...

2016 Cover crop trial comparing winter wheat, cereal rye, and no cover. Four replications.

Farmers needed for Missouri strip trial program

Ten years ago, not many farmers were talking about cover crops. That is not the case now, says Greg Luce, University of Missouri Extension corn specialist and research director for the Missouri Soybean Association and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. He invites farmers to take part in MU...

Study shows cover crops help soils after flooding

A four-year study by University of Missouri Extension seeks to find how cover crops can best benefit soils after flooding and prevented planting. MU Extension agronomist Wayne Flanary shared initial results at a recent crop advisers meeting in St. Joseph. The study looks at the impact of cover...

Tightening profit margins mean farmers must control costs

Higher production costs and lower commodity prices mean farmers must control costs more carefully than ever, says University of Missouri Extension agricultural economist Ray Massey. Land, seed and fertilizer are the largest production costs for row crop operations. “If you can lower these costs by...