Farm & Agriculture

Crops in Missouri are showing signs of stress due to lack of precipitation and high temperatures. This photo of corn was taken outside of Columbia on June 14, 2016.

Too much heat, too little rain can change crop picture quickly

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Crops need rain and lower temperatures soon for relief. Most crops are “just a few days away from difficult times,” says University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Bill Wiebold. “We can go from ‘not so bad’ to ‘pretty bad’ quickly,” Wiebold says. Crops need up to 1-2.2...

Farm Service Agency County Committee Nomination Period Begins June 15

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that the nomination period for farmers and ranchers to serve on local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins Wednesday, June 15, 2016. “Through the county committees, farmers and ranchers have a voice...

Fertilizing Tomatoes

In my last column, I discussed the decision points in selecting a tomato variety for your home garden. Once you have made that important decision, you next need to select a site where they will thrive. As with most garden plants, tomatoes do best on a well-drained soil. This not only keeps the soil...

Show-Me-Select heifer prices follow the market at Palmyra

PALMYRA, Mo. – Average price for 146 replacement beef heifers was $1,977 in the Show-Me-Select sale at F&T Livestock Market, Palmyra, June 4. The top price was $2,300 per head, compared to tops of $2,500, $3,200 and $3,500 in earlier sales across the state. “The crowd was light, but people came...

USDA Resumes Incentives to Grow and Harvest Biomass for Energy and Biobased Products

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that incentives resume this month for farmers and foresters who grow and harvest biomass for renewable energy and biobased products. The funds come through the...

Missouri haymakers face unusual spring weather challenges. More problems are ahead.

Wet weather slows haymakers; seed heads become a problem

Making hay is more than working between rains, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. Grass seed heads have a bigger impact on hay quality than wet weather. For best nutrition, hay must be cut before grass transfers nutrients from the leaves into the seed, Roberts...

USDA Extends Deadline for Recording Farm Structure

WASHINGTON, May 27, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a one-time, 30-day extension to the June 1 deadline for recording farm organization structures related to Actively Engaged in Farming determinations. This date is used to determine the level of interest an individual holds...

Bred heifers averaged $2,236 at Joplin Regional Stockyards.

Joplin Show-Me-Select sale: Heifer prices remain robust

CARTHAGE, Mo. – Quality beef heifers showed price strength in the Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer sale, Friday, May 20. The 291 bred heifers averaged $2,236 at Joplin Regional Stockyards. The sale high was $3,200 per head. “There’s never been a larger spread in prices paid for heifers carrying AI...

'Slobbers' alert issued by MU for pastures with excess clover

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Legumes make good additions to livestock pastures, up to a point. Too much can cause “slobbers.” “So far this has been a white clover spring; that can bring problems,” says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. When livestock, especially horses, eat too...

MU Boar Stud Management Conference set for Aug. 3-4 in St. Louis

The fifth Boar Stud Managers Conference (BSMC) will be held Aug. 3-4 in St. Louis. In the 1990s, producers quickly embraced artificial insemination (AI) of hogs, but most of the training offered focused on sows and gilts. “We found that as AI became popular, more semen came out of studs,” says Tim...