Farm & Agriculture

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...

The USDA is issuing approximately $8 billion in payments under the ARC and PLC programs.

USDA Issues Farm Safety Net and Conservation Payments

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2017 – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced that over $9.6 billion in payments will be made, beginning this week, to producers through the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Conservation Reserve (CRP) programs. The United States...

Winter rye, or cereal rye, is a great cover crop to plant in the fall or early winter.

Cover crops improve garden soil

“You don’t need a green thumb to be a good gardener, but it certainly helps to have good soil,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. “Unfortunately, many of us are burdened with soils that need help,” he said. One of the best ways to help soils be more productive is...

Missouri cash rent rates drop in latest USDA report

Cash rent rates dropped overall in many Missouri counties, according to a Sept. 8 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rates for cropland and pastureland dropped overall from the previous year, said University of Missouri Extension agriculture business specialist Joe Koenen. Koenen leads...

Purdy, Mo., dairy farmer Charles Fletcher, left, works with MU researcher Danny England, center, and MU Extension dairy specialist Stacey Hamilton, right to learn how to measure and manage forage through the Grazing Wedge. USDA recently awarded MU a grant to create an affordable mobile app to help farmers better manage their forage inventory. Photo by Linda Geist

MU Extension receives USDA tech grant for pastures

University of Missouri Extension has received a $444,000 grant to create a mobile application to help farmers manage forage better. The Conservation Innovation Grant from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services is one of 33 nationwide. It provides seed money to implement new ideas and...