Farm & Agriculture

Delayed hay harvest calls for testing

This year’s delayed hay harvest calls for hay testing. University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Anthony Ohmes says farmers benefit from routine hay testing. Hay quality varies based on forage species, maturity, management, harvest conditions, and insect or disease damage. Guessing the...

USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee Nomination Period Begins June 15

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that the nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins on Thursday, June 15, 2017. “County committees allow farmers and ranchers to make important decisions about how federal farm programs...

Armyworm Injury Continues

Much of the armyworm damage has occurred in counties that have pastureland. There are several resources at the University of Missouri Extension website, which can help you with the identification and understanding of this pest. These resources can be found at https://ipm.missouri.edu/IPCM/. The...

Corn Stand Loss

The perfect corn stand emerges and then you scout again and corn plants are dying or missing. After emergence, this is the stage when the plant is transitioning from the being dependent on the seed to establishing roots and capturing sunlight. Our corn is past this stage but looking at many fields...

Popcorn

Some gardeners are natural experimenters, always looking for a new crop to try. After a while, tomatoes, green beans and sweet corn become passé, so they start looking from something else to add to their garden. If you fall into the above category and are looking for something a little different to...

Farm custom rates updated in MU Extension guide

COLUMBIA, Mo. – For some jobs, farmers need help. Custom operators provide a wide range of services. The jobs vary from tillage and planting to spreading fertilizer and harvesting grain and hay. Big jobs might be building fence or moving dirt. A University of Missouri Extension price guide lists...

Even after a flood of rain, a cleansing rain will be welcomed.

Cleansing rain helps wheat after flood

COLUMBIA, Mo.—Wheat flooded before harvest brings questions from affected farmers. What do they do now? University of Missouri Extension field crops specialists said, “Wait and see.” During a weekly teleconference, field staff answered questions from farmers. Dirty or even mud-caked wheat could...

Farmers facing replant still have time to stay with intentions

Corn growers facing replanting decisions because of flooding and saturated soils have time to safely plant corn through the end of May and even into early June. That is the advice from University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Greg Luce. He notes that growers vary in their regional...

Join us at the 2017 Missouri Tree Farm Conference

This year’s Tree Farm Conference will be held on Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 on Jim Ball’s Tree Farm near Chillicothe, Missouri. Jim was selected as the 2016 Missouri Outstanding Tree Farmer and is being judged for the Regional Outstanding Tree Farmer for the eleven state North Central...

Plantings in late May or June put seedlings in summer drought risk.

Spring weather hurt fescue growth, but second cutting may be possible

This may be the year for two cuttings of tall fescue hay. That’s good news. The bad news: The first cutting will make lousy hay, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage agronomist. Erratic weather caused fescue to set seed early. Under stress, grass made seed instead of leaves...