Farm & Agriculture

Missouri farmers are filled with hope for what 2018 may bring.

Buyers Wanted: Productive Farmers Need More Customers

By Eric Bohl “America doesn’t make anything anymore.” How often have you heard this in the past year? We’re constantly told that China is eating our lunch, Mexico is making our cars and emerging markets like Vietnam or the Philippines are outsmarting and outproducing American workers. Most of these...

Missouri Corn Scholarship Applications Now Available

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.)--The Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Corn Merchandising Council will be awarding seven deserving students $1,000 scholarships. Applications for the Missouri Corn Scholarship Program are now available for high school seniors and college juniors pursuing a degree...

Wheat Reporting Deadline is December 15

Did you sow any wheat this fall? In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to visit their local FSA office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline for each crop they have. If you sowed wheat and haven’t already done...

USDA Helps Rural Communities Restore Water Systems Damaged by Disasters

COLUMBIA, MO, November 30, 2017 – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the award of two grants to help rural water and sewer utilities recover from recent and future natural disasters. “USDA is a strong partner in the long-term recovery of rural communities after a season of devastating...

You can take samples to your county MU Extension center.

Soil testing can save home gardeners money and time

If a little is good, a lot must be better. All too often, that’s the approach home gardeners take when plants and flowers don’t do well, says University of Missouri Extension soil scientist Manjula Nathan. Trying to improve flower beds and vegetable gardens by adding more fertilizer and topsoil may...

Carefully select topsoil when doing fall yard work

Not all topsoil is created equal. Select topsoil carefully when making fall lawn renovations, says Manjula Nathan, director of University of Missouri Extension’s Soil Testing and Plant Diagnostic Services. A soil test is the best way to measure topsoil quality. Topsoil is the uppermost 3 to 10...

Fall is the best time to submit soil samples.

Inexpensive soil tests can save farmers thousands

Soil tests can save farmers thousands of dollars, says Manjula Nathan, director of the University of Missouri Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory. Too often, farmers follow routine fertilization schedules and end up applying too much fertilizer to fields, Nathan said. A simple soil test gives the...

USDA encourages farmers to keep the stubble on their fields.

Farmers Encouraged to ‘Keep the Stubble’ during No-Till November

During a special month-long campaign called “No-Till November,” the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is encouraging Missouri farmers to “keep the stubble” on their harvested crop fields and improve soil health. “The No-Till November campaign encourages farmers to keep tillage...

Food Safety Modernization Act Workshops

Produce Growers have been monitoring developments in food safety for many years. There have been a number of tragic episodes, where some type of produce became contaminated with a dangerous microorganism, which led to illness and even death in the people who consumed the product. Produce growers...

Corn specialist Greg Luce is among the MU Extension staff working with farmers on the Missouri Strip Trial Program. MU Extension is seeking farmers to participate in the 2018 strip trials. Photo courtesy of John Lory.

MU Extension seeks farmers for Strip Trial Program

Farmers are being sought to participate in the 2017-2018 University of Missouri Extension Strip Trial Program, which helps farmers and crop advisers compare on-farm management decisions and practices. The program uses on-farm, field-scale research to give growers farm-specific data to guide...