Farm & Agriculture

USDA Sees Strong Demand for Conservation Reserve Program

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding farmers and ranchers that the competitive sign-up deadline for its most popular voluntary conservation program, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), is Feb. 26, 2016. This will be one of the most competitive...

Junior top 10. Front row, from left: Addie Thomas, Kiley Braun, John Paul Quinn and Rose Quinn. Second row: Austin Mitchell, Alaina Link, Quincy Wiegand, Lyndsey Conley and Anya Cailleach. Back: Anne Marie Quinn.

4-H meats judging contest draws youth from across Missouri

Source: Shane Potter, 573-882-3835 COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Extension 4-H State Meats Judging contest on Feb. 6 drew 38 competing 4-H members. More than 50 FFA students also participated as practice for upcoming events, said Shane Potter, MU Extension 4-H youth development...

Holding meetings to discuss issues affecting Missouri cattle industry

Cattlemen, ranchers organization wants investigation into decline in cattle prices

Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund calls for Senate Judiciary Subcommittee to schedule hearing to investigate causes of late 2015 cattle price meltdown. Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA wants a formal hearing to determine — was it intentional manipulation of factors possibly by packers and or...

More Americans opting for butter over margarine

Growing demand for butter is boosting dairy industry

Source: Scott Brown, 573-882-3861 COLUMBIA, Mo. – The growing number of Americans opting for butter over margarine and other oils has given the U.S. dairy industry a much-needed boost. “That’s one of the reasons why milk prices didn’t decline more for dairy farmers in 2015,” says University of...

For many insects, insecticidal soaps can be safely used.

Insects and Houseplants

Here’s a Horticulture Tip from University of Missouri Extension: House plants can sometimes attract insect pests such as aphids or mealybugs. For many insects, insecticidal soaps can be safely sprayed on your houseplants to eliminate these pests. Mealybugs are easily killed by touching them with...

Did a Storm Damage your Tree?

Winter storms cause tremendous stress and severe damage to trees in the urban forest. Snapped or downed trees should be removed, but what about a tree that only suffers minor damage? How can a homeowner tell if a tree is safe enough to keep? Assessing the damage Minor damage - with only the...

Test well water annually

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The human body is more than 70 percent water and it needs to be replenished every day. But how good is the water you’re drinking? If you have a private well, testing the water once a year is a good idea. “Mainly what we want to check for is E. coli bacteria,” says Bob Broz,...

Poinsettia bract beginning to change color. (photo by Debbie Johnson, MU Extension)

Botanical extreme sport: re-blooming poinsettia

Source: David Trinklein, 573-882-9631 COLUMBIA, Mo. – Every year Americans buy millions of poinsettias. But what do you do with all those plants after the holidays? Many people just throw them away, but there’s always those who wonder if they can be re-bloomed for next year. “It is quite a bit of...

Show-Me-Select heifers average $2,374 at bred replacement sale at Fruitland

The sale was small, but 70 registered bidders lifted the average price to $2,374 for 133 Show-Me-Select heifers at Fruitland (Mo.) Livestock Auction, Dec. 5. “The sale started slow, but bidding wars added mid-sale excitement,” said Erin Larimore, University of Missouri Extension livestock...

Crop conference fee cut for farmers, say MU Extension program leaders

Friday, December 04, 2015 COLUMBIA, Mo. – For the first time, farmers will pay reduced fees to attend the annual University of Missouri Crop Management Conference, Dec. 15-16. At first, the conference wasn’t planned for farmers. It updated farm advisers on new MU research and crop reports. Soon,...