Farm & Agriculture

SILAGE BUNKERS AND PILES: KNOW THE DANGERS

Horizontal silo forage systems are economical and maintain high-quality forage at low cost. These benefits are maximized when producers and farm managers implement safety practices to reduce potential for tractor or truck rollovers, run-overs by or entanglement in machinery, falls from heights,...

Lincoln University farm outreach worker David Middleton demonstrates the use of a kneeler for gardening.

Consider ergonomics when buying garden tools

Source: Brenda Schreck, 573-767-5273 COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you have a gardener on your holiday gift list, consider user-friendly tools that suit their ability and age. When choosing tools, gardeners and gift-givers should consider ergonomics, the science of fitting equipment to create less stress on...

By UNMC, Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, Omaha, NE

GRAIN HANDLING SAFETY: PRICELESS PRACTICES

In the process of handling grain, producers are exposed to a range of safety hazards both during harvest and once the grain is stored. Jess McCluer, vice-president of Safety and Regulatory Affairs at the National Grain and Feed Association (NFGA), and Chair of the Board of Directors and Chief...

MU spreadsheet tracks, evaluates colostrum management

Source: Scott Poock, 573-882-6359 COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension dairy veterinarian Scott Poock has developed a spreadsheet to track and evaluate colostrum management data in dairy calves. The spreadsheet comes in response to the latest National Animal Health Monitoring System (...

Brown marmorated stink bug. Credit: U.S. Army.

Crops face danger of BMSB damage

Source: Kevin Rice, 573-882-2838 COLUMBIA, Mo. – A flurry of calls and emails from homeowners about the brown marmorated stink bug to University of Missouri Extension specialists sounds a warning of what is to come in in the next two years. MU Extension field crop entomologist Kevin Rice says BMSB...

University of Missouri Extension agronomist and longtime beekeeper Travis Harper will teach the hands-on portion of the Heroes to Hives program in Missouri. The program helps veterans learn beekeeping. Photo by Tevin Uthlaut.

First state chapter of Heroes to Hives beekeeping program begins at MU

Source: Travis Harper, 660-885-5556 Missouri has the first state chapter of Heroes to Hives, a program that supports veterans who want to learn beekeeping. New sessions of the free program begin March 2021, says Karen Funkenbusch, state director of the Missouri AgrAbility Project, which provides...

Without forage test, hay by any other name is just hay

Source: Gene Schmitz, 660-827-0591 COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mature hay is hay. It may be brome hay, prairie hay or any other type of hay. But in the end, it’s just hay until it’s been tested. Forage tests tell the tale of whether hay is of good quality and nutrient-rich, says University of Missouri...

Mandevilla, a vigorous, heat-loving vine, will need severe pruning before being moved indoors. Photo courtesy David Trinklein.

Tropical plants can overwinter indoors

Source: David Trinklein, 573-882-9631 COLUMBIA, Mo. – You may not get to take a tropical vacation this year, but you can bring the tropics inside your home. With the right light and temperature, it is possible to keep tropical patio plants indoors for another summer of enjoyment. “The colorful...

Beginning farmer webinar series on small fruit production starts Oct. 19

University of Missouri Extension offers a webinar series for small and beginning farmers to learn how to operate a small fruit operation. The first of 10 sessions begins Oct. 19. The Zoom sessions cover the basics on topics from small pest management to berry production, said MU Extension...

GRAIN BIN ENTRY: DON’T RISK YOUR LIFE

Grain handling is always a high hazard activity and farmers are encouraged to be on guard during the 2020 harvest for hazards such as grain dust and the added threat grain dust poses if grain bin entry is required. “Extremely dry conditions during 2020’s grain harvest will result in significant...