Farm & Ranch

Redbook available for cattle producers

Most cattle producers who have heard University of Missouri Extension livestock specialists speak in recent years know specialists stress the value of records in managing their cow-calf or stocker operations. “You can’t determine how your cattle and pastures are performing if you don’t use records,” said Eldon Cole, livestock specialist, University of Missouri Extension. Since

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MU receives USDA grant to help some to farm

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $179,614 grant to the University of Missouri to support efforts to help to veterans, Latinos, women and socially disadvantaged persons to farm or go into agribusiness. The grant will fund eight workshops over the course of a year, said MU Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch.

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Agricultural Policy in the 2016 Election

By Shiloh Perry In the midst of debates and with Election Day quickly approaching, the importance of agricultural policy is even more pressing. In fact, everyone has a stake in American agriculture and protecting our farmers and ranchers’ ability to produce. Agricultural policy issues hit home for all Americans, both on and off the farm.

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Bumper crop may cause storage issues

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sept. 12 crop production report estimates corn production up by 11 percent over last year. USDA predicts three percent more soybean this year. Crop producers will have more grain to sell at lower prices in 2016. Storage might become tight after this year’s excellent wheat yields, says University of Missouri

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Hartzler receives Farm Bureau Award

During a farm tour stop Oct. 7 on the Stanton Brothers farm near Centralia, Representative Vicky Hartzler was presented the Friend of Farm Bureau Award by Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst. The Friend of Farm Bureau Award is a joint award given by Missouri Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation to members

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The Buzz about Urban Farms

By Stewart Truelsen If the buzz about urban farms can be believed, they are growing significantly even as rural farms and ranches decline in number. Nationally, there are no reliable statistics on the number of urban farms. The Census of Agriculture doesn’t count them, at least not yet. In Chicago, by one count there are

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FRIEND OF AGRICULTURE

FRIEND OF AGRICULTURE – The state’s largest agriculture organization recently presented state Rep. Warren Love with a 2016 Friend of Agriculture Award. The Missouri Farm Bureau presented Love with the award on Aug. 22 at the annual meeting of the St. Clair County Farm Bureau. Representative Love (left) received  his award from St. Clair County

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Missouri State Fair Straw Poll Results

Missouri Farm Bureau continued its tradition of holding an election year Straw Poll at the Farm Bureau building at the Missouri State Fair.  This year’s Straw Poll asked who fairgoers would support for U.S. Senate, Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General.  It also asked if they supported continuation of the 1/10 sales tax for state

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Consignments for tested bulls due Sept. 3 for Oct 31 sale

Beef cattle breeders in the southwest Missouri are invited to consign bulls to the Oct. 31 tested bull sale at Springfield Livestock Marketing Center. The 88th sale since 1973 is sponsored by the Southwest Missouri Beef Cattle Improvement Association in cooperation with University of Missouri Extension. The eligible counties for consignors run from Vernon County

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Connections at the Farmers’ Market

by Rebecca French Smith The farmers’ market in Columbia is almost always packed. The parking lot at the Activity and Recreation Center (ARC) is full, spilling over into the adjacent school and grocery store parking lots. Market-goers are elbow-to-elbow looking for fresh-from-the-farm food. It’s become a Saturday morning gathering place. I love the farmers’ market.

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