On Target Solutions, Inc. – Belton, MO
Many business owners agree that government contracting is very different from the other markets that small businesses pursue. Even individuals who have experience with different aspects of contracting find that becoming a federal contractor can be daunting and confusing.
African swine fever reduces China’s pork production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects that by the end of 2019, China’s total swine inventory will be down by 18%. Indeed, the USDA estimated that the Chinese sow inventory was down 12% at the start of 2019.
Corn prices headed up?
The outlook for corn prices is more positive because corn is likely to experience a significant downward supply shock. Not only will planted area be reduced, but the yields will also likely be significantly lower.
A glut of soybeans?
The combination of the ongoing trade war, large carry-in stocks, fewer hogs in China and the potential shift of corn area to soybeans could result in a large abundance of soybeans, but this is far from certain given the severity of planting delays.
Missouri planting progress data as of June 23, 2019
The rain returned to Missouri this past week, leaving only 2.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Soybean plantings progressed by 9 percentage points, but progress was minimal in corn, rice and cotton.
Proper disposal of flood-damaged grain
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First steps home after a flood
As floodwaters recede and you’re allowed back into your home or business to assess the damage, take lots of pictures of the building and its contents to document damages for insurance claims.
Inspect buildings and look for fire hazards
Once an area has been cleared for you to return, stay out of any buildings where floodwaters remain. Avoid using candles or open flames. Instead, use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights to reduce fire hazards.
Removing water from flooded basements
Before you enter a flooded basement, take the following steps:Turn off electricity and gas. Check outside basement walls for possible cave-ins, evidence of structural damage or other hazards. Open doors and windows.
Saving food after a power outage
Those of us in the Midwest know that spring storms can bring power outages. When freezers and refrigerators are off for several hours, whether it’s due to a storm or an accident, the food safety rules about what to keep or toss are the same.
Poor corn stands and crop insurance provisions
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Top 10 questions about forages after the 2019 flood
download this article The flood of 2019 has created problems for cattle forages, such as leaching from rain, digestibility, ergot poisoning and damage to soils. This FAQ address top cattle farmer concerns.
What about nitrogen for a corn crop? Still there?
download this article It’s been wet over the whole state of Missouri. Since October, really, but especially in May.
Possible alternative crops for late planting situations in Missouri
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Prevented planting provisions on corn acres
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Consider your neighbor this spray season
As we move into that part of the season where post-emergence herbicide applications are commonly made in soybean, it's important to remember the effects that off-target movement of herbicides can have on others around you. And this year, for the first time ever, we will be able to legally apply dicamba (in the form of Xtendimax, Engenia, or Fexapan) to Xtend-traited soybean.
Palmer amaranth is still on the move in Missouri
Palmer amaranth is a member of the pigweed family that is native to the southwest United States, but has slowly migrated into the Midwestern U.S. over the past decade or so. In the bootheel of Missouri, like western Tennessee, Arkansas, and a host of other southern states, Palmer amaranth has been the predominant pigweed species for several decades.
Cleanout and upkeep of the sprayer: Don't get complacent
The availability of dicamba-tolerant soybean this season increases the need for emphasis on proper maintenance and thorough cleanout of the sprayer system between applications; especially POST applications. The likely introduction of additional herbicide-tolerant traits in the future indicates that sprayer maintenance and cleanout will continue to be an essential focal point to avoid tank contamination and injury to subsequently…
Herbicide options for killing failed corn stands
I have already received a few calls about herbicide options for killing out poor stands of Roundup Ready and/or stacked Roundup Ready/Liberty Link corn, and I expect there will be more whenever things dry out. We conducted a few trials on this several years ago, and Dr. Larry Steckel has also published some data in the weed science literature from two years of research he conducted in Tennessee.
Ag industry, do we have a problem yet?
It's funny how we can be living through a situation or watch something unfold in front of our very eyes and one person can view it one way and another can see it totally different. If you think about it, this happens all the time at sporting events. Not too long ago I was watching a Cardinals game with some Cubs fans and all of a sudden they all started yelling that our player was out when I could clearly see that he was in fact, safe…
A final report on dicamba-injured soybean acres
Throughout the summer we have attempted to provide updates as to the extent of dicamba-injured soybean throughout the United States, either in the form of official dicamba-related cases that are currently under investigation by the state Departments of Agriculture, or as estimates of injured acreage from university extension weed scientists (see Ag Industry, Do we have a problem yet? and Update on Dicamba-related Injury Investigations…
July 15 Dicamba injury update: Different year, same questions
As explained in previous articles from this season (Dicamba Injury Mostly Confined to Specialty Crops, Ornamentals and Trees so Far, Dicamba Injured Crops and Plants Becoming more Evident: June 15th Update), I have attempted to provide updates as to the extent of dicamba injury throughout the United States, either in the form of official dicamba-related cases that are currently under investigation by the state Departments of…