Farm & Agriculture

Farm Service Agency County Committee Nomination Period in Caldwell County Began June 15

(Kingston, MO), June 26, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages America’s farmers and ranchers to nominate candidates to lead, serve and represent their community on their local county committee. According to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Caldwell County Executive Director...

Comments from Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst

Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst made the following statement upon the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the 2018 farm bill:

“Farming is unpredictable, and the huge costs of doing business can be lost in a single storm or lack thereof. The farm bill has helped farmers manage these risks for decades so we can survive the bad years and continue to feed, clothe and fuel the world. “Keeping a strong crop insurance program...

Drought cuts pasture growth

Source: Eric Bailey, 573-884-7873 COLUMBIA, Mo. – In dry weather with short pastures, Missouri cow-herd owners face tough culling decisions. One way to match cows’ needs to available grass is to sell cows. Give careful thought to which grass eaters go first, says Eric Bailey, University of Missouri...

“Northwest Missouri Horticulture”

by Tim Baker Recently I was talking with a grower who was having problems with his watermelons. From his description, it sounded like it could be spider mites. With the hot and dry weather we have been experiencing lately, it seemed like a strong possibility. These conditions really favor spider...

Dairy producers urged to act now to re-enroll in the Margin Protection Program

USDA Extends Application Deadline for Dairy Margin Protection Program to June 22

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2018 – U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the re-enrollment deadline for the Margin Protection Program (MPP) for Dairy will be extended until June 22, 2018. The new and improved program protects participating dairy producers when the margin – the difference...

Farmers seek forage options as drought cuts grass growth

Shortage of cattle forage forces some Ozark herd owners to chop trees to feed leaves. That method was used in big droughts of the 1930s and 1950s. Damage comes from more than an intense drought, said Craig Roberts, University of Missouri forage specialist in a weekly teleconference. Regional...

Drought Livestock Water Assistance

Caldwell County has unfortunately been elevated to the D2 level (Severe Drought) on the U.S. Drought Monitor. To view the U.S. Drought Monitor, go to this link: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ Rainfall shortages exceed 44% in the county and different areas of the county have missed almost all the...

David Martin, a 1992 graduate of the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, checks out the milking parlor where cows are milked three times daily at Martin Prairie Farms. Photo by Linda Geist.

'Close-up cow' barns help cows avoid heat stress, produce more milk

Martin Prairie Farms near Humansville treats dairy cows like guests. The family-owned dairy farm north of Humansville in Hickory County dedicates itself to top-of-the-line herd nutrition and care, says University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist Reagan Bluel. Freddie and Mary Martin, son...

Farmers seek help from MU agronomists on dry weather impact on crops, forages

Newly made spring hay finally being baled in June may be toxic for cattle. Hold off on feeding new hay, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. The longer the hay can be stored after baling, the less toxic it becomes. Cow herd owners, hit by a lack of rain that...

University of Missouri veterinary students learned how to use a platemeter to calibrate forage cuttings. The hands-on training is part of an MU School of Veterinary Medicine production medicine class that combines classroom work with visits to dairy farms across the state. Photo courtesy of Stacey Hamilton.

MU vet students take research to dairy parlors and pastures

The University of Missouri veterinary students take campus research to parlors and pastures to help dairy farms improve. The MU School of Veterinary Medicine’s production medicine class is a popular elective, offering students two-way learning opportunities. Students share university research with...