July 5, 2025
by Eric Bohl Small farms are booming in Missouri, and nearly all farms in the state are family-owned. Missourians are proud of our family farming tradition, and new data prove the tradition remains strong. Every five years the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts a nationwide census. USDA released findings from the 2017 census in early
The rate of technological advancement that we witness in our day-to-day lives is amazing. Cell phones do more today than personal computers could do 10 years ago. Self-driving cars, packages delivered by drones are not ideas for the future, but a reality today. “Agriculture, though a traditional way to make a living, is on the
Evaluating bull structural and reproductive soundness prior to the breeding season is important to ensure a successful breeding season. Bulls that have poor fertility and structural soundness can result in excessive number of open cows, economic losses and decreased profit potential for your cattle operation. “To ensure the bull is ready to have a successful
March 11, 2019 — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has set an April 15 deadline to apply for wetland and agricultural land easements in Missouri. NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to help private landowners, tribes, land trusts and other groups protect valuable lands through easements. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) focuses
When it comes to selling beef on the farm, there are a lot of different ways to achieve success and profit. Three of those approaches were presented as part of a “Making Beef Profitable for the Farm” panel discussion at 96th Annual Greene County Ag Production Conference held at the Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, held
March could be the hardest month of the year on beef cattle according to Eldon Cole, field specialist in livestock with University of Missouri Extension. “I’m not aware of any official statistics on death losses in Missouri by anyone, but it seems there are numerous deaths of both young and old cattle during those 31
A small, but interested audience visited the University of Missouri Southwest Research Center south of Mt. Vernon on a cold, late January day to learn about feeding anhydrous ammonia-treated fescue hay. Attendees were shown the hay, told about the process and also smelled it according to Eldon Cole, field specialist in livestock with University of
The Missouri Show-Me-Select (SMS) Beef Heifer Development Program is an excellent example of a program designed to add value to a good heifer or yearling. “If you sell her as a feeder, weighing around 600 to 650 pounds she’ll bring around $850 to $900 per head, based on late January, southwest Missouri markets,” said Eldon
More business for farmers. More good food for all. These are the paired goals of the regional Farm to Fork Summit to be held Jan. 15 in Osceola. Registration is open now for farmers, eaters, educators, community organizations, and others interested in building local food connections in west central Missouri. Early bird tickets are $20
Cattle producers can learn how to improve profits by using natural shade in their operations during an Oct. 10 tour of the Mingo cow-calf operation in St. James. The tour shows how producer Brian Tomazi uses shade to improve cow comfort and profits. His integrated system uses timber, forages and livestock. The event will also
