Opinions

TURKEY DECLINE - part II

Last week we compared Missouri's turkey season numbers through the years. The last 20 have been pretty much down hill to the point at which lots of folks are beginning to ask wildlife managers to make some adjustments to help the birds recover. One prominent post going around social media included...

Know youth labor laws before hiring your summer staff

COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the school year ends, you can expect young people to start applying for summer jobs. For agricultural employers, these young workers can provide extra capacity at a time when farms and agribusinesses often have more work than they have employees to get that work done. “Labor is...

Take the time to remember those who died so we could live: the men and women of our armed forces

Memorial Day will be celebrated on May 31 this year and, once again, it will be defined as the unofficial beginning of summer -- a time for raucous parties and barbecues and the opening of beaches, pools and amusement parks. Have fun, is the motto. And, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as long...

The Outdoor Journal by Kyle Carroll

From the mid 1980s to the early 2000s, Missouri saw the great come back of the wild turkey. Through efforts of private landowners, conservation organizations and the Missouri Department of Conservation, wild turkeys returned from near extirpation to every woods in every part of the state. As...

Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins made the following statement regarding the Missouri legislature's failure to pass legislation curbing Eminent Domain abuse:

“We are disappointed that the legislature has again failed to reform eminent domain laws. Proponents of merchant transmission lines have made it clear they expect Grain Belt Express to be just the first of many. “We cannot allow the use of eminent domain for private gain to continue. Out-of-state...

Look at gallons per mile to compare fuel efficiency

COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you’re in the market for a car that will save you money at the pump, looking at miles per gallon may not be the best way to compare fuel efficiency, says a University of Missouri Extension financial planning specialist. “People aren’t interested in fuel efficiency to drive more...

Hawkins Sends Letter to President Biden Opposing New Death Tax

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today, Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins sent a letter to President Joe Biden opposing efforts to implement a new tax on death. President Biden has proposed eliminating the longstanding "stepped-up basis" rule, nearly doubling the capital gains tax rate and...

Why Lily of the Valley Is The Official May Day Flower

Why Lily of the Valley Is The Official May Day Flower Posted on April 30, 2021 by Carole Funger A ROYAL HISTORY In France, lily of the valley (or muguet in French) has been given as a gift for centuries. Legend has it that the custom started on May 1, 1561 when King Charles IX received a sprig...

Graves Statement on President Biden’s Address to Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) released the following statement after President Biden’s address to a Joint Session of Congress: “On day one, President Biden promised bipartisanship and unity. Nearly 100 days later, and we’ve seen too little of that. From a bloated COVID “relief”...

Property Rights Battle Coming Down to the Wire By Garrett Hawkins

An editorial column from the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation On a recent afternoon in mid-April, hundreds of Missourians rallied at the Missouri State Capitol to urge the legislature to protect their property rights. The rally was sparked by an egregious abuse of eminent domain in northern Missouri...