Farm & Agriculture

Caldwell County is authorized for emergency haying and grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for fiscal year 2018.

USDA Authorizes Emergency Haying and Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program Acres for Caldwell County

(Kingston, MO), July 16, 2018 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Debbie Clevenger today announced that Caldwell County is authorized for emergency haying and grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for fiscal year 2018. FSA's fiscal...

Now is the time to elect county committee members.

Caldwell County Producers Have Until Aug. 1 to Submit FSA County Committee Nominations

Kingston, MO, July 25, 2018 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director for Caldwell County, Debbie Clevenger, today reminded farmers and ranchers that they have until Aug. 1, 2018, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees...

University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette shows soybean farmers how to scout for disease during a recent scouting school. Photo by Linda Geist.

MU Extension plant pathologist: Don’t treat all soybean diseases with fungicides

Not all soybean diseases require a fungicide application, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette. Knowing if and when to spray fungicides saves money and reduces concerns about fungicide resistance, Bissonnette says. She shares information about soybean diseases...

Drilling wheat, cereal rye or oats can provide forage.

Small grain crops seeded this fall replace dry pastures for cow herds

Seeding winter annual small grain offers fall grazing for beef cow herds short on grass and hay. “Lots of calls are coming in,” said Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. He offers encouraging words and cautions. Interest grew as some local USDA Farm Service Agency...

Missouri's white oak forests provide wood for more than 1.5 million barrels annually for some of the most prestigious wineries and distilleries in the U.S. and abroad, notes MU Extension forester Hank Stelzer. Photo by Linda Geist.

MU Extension holds second spirits industry tour

Source: Hank Stelzer, 573-882-4444 COLUMBIA, Mo. – Openings remain for the second annual University of Missouri Extension White Oak, Whiskey and Wine Tour on Saturday, Oct. 13. The all-day tour toasts the state’s unique contributions to the wine and whiskey industries. MU Extension forester Hank...

Workshop on warm-season grasses and cost-share programs on July 31.

MU Extension, NRCS offer warm-season grass workshop

University of Missouri Extension and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offer an evening workshop on warm-season grasses and cost-share programs on July 31. The pasture tour begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Ron Locke farm near Buffalo. MU Extension agronomy specialists Terry Halleran and Pat...

Taking the time to check the moisture content before harvesting could save a lot of trouble later.

Making Silage from Drought Damaged Corn

Drought has damaged corn in many areas. Growers should examine fields for grain potential. Corn fields and even some irrigated fields have suffered severe drought or heat damage. Silage can salvage this crop, but some harvest modifications may be needed. Most of the green, low grain corn is too...

Friendly weeds may prove welcome this year.

Drought stays as beef farmers plan on fall rains to make winter pasture

Stunted, stemmy pastures unable to support grazing cattle have potential. Depend on fall rains to bring fall regrowth, says University of Missouri Extension forage agronomist Craig Roberts. Cool-season grass growth always slumps in summer. Fescue goes dormant. This year, the slump dives deep with...

Managed grazing systems among the most profitable dairy farms.

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship offers opportunities

MOUNTAIN GROVE, Mo. – Five to 10 percent of dairy farms close each year, in part because of a lack of skilled laborers, says University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist Ted Probert. To help the dairy industry survive, a national nonprofit organization has created an apprenticeship program to...

Ag economist surveys farmers for 2018 cash-rent guide

Landowners and land renters can help their neighbors by filling out a survey on their cash-rent rates. Ray Massey, University of Missouri Extension economist, Columbia, seeks responses to an online survey. This is something new for the MU guide, which is updated every three years. Respondents...