Agriculture and environment

Collage of Agriculture & Environment Field Specialists

Bold Goal, Bold Future

Agriculture impacts all Missourians. Find out how we’re strengthening the industry.

Growing agriculture

The singular goal of Agriculture and Environment Extension is to double the value of Missouri agriculture by 2030 while sustaining the state’s natural resources.

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Whether you own or manage an operation, find upcoming events to help you succeed in agriculture business and environmental stewardship.

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Interested in growing your agriculture business? We are too. Explore this content to discover the ways MU Extension can help you take part in our goal of doubling agriculture by 2030 while sustaining natural resources — #2xAg2030.

During this unprecedented time, MU Extension creates resources to keep you safe, while strengthening Missouri's agricultural economy. Refer to the resources on this page to navigate on-farm safety, food safety and disaster recovery.

On-farm safety

Food safety

Disaster recovery

Additional COVID-19 Resources

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Events

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Monetary Policy and Farm Income Outlook for Missouri’s Ag Lenders

Event date: Oct. 7, 2022

Event time: | 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Missouri's agricultural lenders, credit managers, rural land appraisers, and ag service providers are invited to hear a discussion on monetary policy and learn insights from the latest Missouri Farm Income Outlook report. Attendees will hear the ...

Abilities Awareness

Event date: Oct. 10, 2022

Event time: | 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Lockwood, MO

Topic: Understanding IEPsSpeakers: Alicia Curran and Lukin Murphy, ECHO AutismSelf reported CEUs available!Caring for or teaching someone with a developmental disability? Let’s create encouragement and support together!University of Missouri ...

Soils 101 for Gardeners and Homeowners

Event date: Oct. 17, 2022

Event time: | 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Bowling Green, MO

Understanding soils is the key to growing healthy plants, learn how to unlock the full potential of your garden! Nutrient, pH and organic matter management is the key to growing healthy and productive gardens, landscapes and lawns. Join MU ...

2501 EC SARE Grant Writing Workshop

Event date: Oct. 17, 2022

Event time: | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Rolla, MO

The OAO 2501 program include, but are not limited to, conferences, workshops, and demonstrations on various farming techniques, and connecting underserved farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers to USDA local officials to increase awareness of ...

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News & articles

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'Force' bulbs indoors for early spring beauty

Published: Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022

COLUMBIA, Mo. – While we can’t rush Mother Nature, we can give her a gentle nudge by forcing spring bulbs indoors for an early show of color.“That gentle nudge requires planning in fall to induce spring bulbs to flower indoors long before their ...

MU videos share cattle management practices in drought

Published: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought continues to plague growers and livestock producers in parts of Missouri, especially in the southwest corner of the state, raising concerns about feed availability.“It’s a perfect storm of high fertilizer prices, reduced ...

October Farm Management News and Notes from MU Extension

Published: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022

COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the harvest season is underway, make time to work on your farm business to set it up for success next year. Fall is an excellent time to update your farm’s short-term operating plan, make pasture investments, check to see if ...

Annie's Project offered virtually

Published: Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022

EDINA, Mo. – This fall, University of Missouri Extension will offer Annie’s Project, a program for women in agriculture. The virtual, interactive sessions focus on risk management, says Karisha Devlin, MU Extension agricultural business and ...

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Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) Insurance

Publication date: Oct. 1, 2022

In livestock production, gross margin is the difference between revenue from livestock or milk sales and feed costs. It is an indicator of profitability.Livestock gross margin (LGM) insurance offers livestock producers a way to manage gross margin ...

Yearling Beef Steer Feeding Planning Budget

Publication date: Sept. 21, 2022

This budget presents information useful to Missouri beef farmers. The production practices used to develop these cost estimates are common for beef farms in Missouri. Farmers are encouraged to customize this budget to fit their operation. This is one ...

Dairy Heifer Planning Budget

Publication date: Sept. 16, 2022

This budget presents information useful to Missouri farmers raising dairy heifers. The production practices used to develop the cost estimates are common in Missouri. Farmers are encouraged to customize this budget to fit their operation with the aid ...

Beef Backgrounding Planning Budget

Publication date: Sept. 16, 2022

Beef Heifer Planning Budget

Publication date: Sept. 16, 2022

Northern Missouri Beef Cow-Calf Planning Budget

Publication date: Sept. 16, 2022

This budget presents information useful to northern Missouri beef farmers. The production practices used to develop these cost estimates are common for beef farms in Missouri. Farmers are encouraged to modify this budget to fit their operation. This ...

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Online courses

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CEU Train the Trainer for Missouri Certified Swine Sample Collector Training

online $0.00

In this course, you will learn about Foreign Animal Diseases affecting swine, biosecurity basics, the Secure Pork Supply Plan, and the Certified Swine Sample Collector program. This course is self-paced and entirely online. It should take ...

Missouri Master Gardener Online Core Training - Fall 2022

Aug. 13, 2022 - Dec. 31, 2022

online $200.00

Your $200 registration fee includes a FREE Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual. To receive your manual, you must login to the course and follow the instructions in the first module for placing the order using a discount code. Please place your order ...

The Beginning Gardener-Getting Started with Vegetables 2021

Feb. 27, 2021 - April 17, 2021

online $40.00

Thank you for enrolling in the The Beginning Gardener Series. This course is designed to give you just enough information to plant your first vegetable garden, without overwhelming you with too much detail. This is a self-paced course designed for ...

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Missouri Beef Budget Tool (XLSX)

Farmers can develop custom enterprise budget by using the Missouri Beef Enterprise spreadsheet. This tool allows users to make an enterprise budget for a cow-calf (spring or fall calving), heifer or backgrounding (drylot or pasture) operation.

Beef Newsletter — 2019-07 (PDF)

Production and management tips for beef producers.

Late Lambing Sheep Budget Tool (XLSX)

A budgeting tool to estimate economic costs and returns of a 50 ewe, spring lambing flock (March/ April) with lambs marketed between 50 to 60 pounds in July/August.

Beef Cow Winter Feed Costs Calculator (XLSX)

Estimate your winter feed costs for beef cows using this planning tool developed by Brent Carpenter and Gene Schmitz with MU Extension.

Missouri Pond Handbook (PDF)

This booklet is your guide to building, enjoying, and prolonging the life of your pond. Use the diagnostic tools, recommendations, and the additional sources whose addresses and telephone numbers are in Appendix A to create the best possible fishing ...

Buying Bulls by the Numbers (PDF)

Do the bulls you buy have numbers on them? These numbers show the EPD (top) and the percentile rank (bottom) for calving ease, weaning weight, yearling weight, milk, marbling and ribeye for the Angus bull.

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Featured programs

Agricultural Business and Policy Extension

Serves rural Missouri by helping farms, agribusinesses and communities understand their opportunities and challenges to make informed decisions

Annie's Project

Based on the life of Annette (Kohlhagen) Fleck, Annie’s Project empowers farm women to be better business partners through networks, managing and organizing critical information.

Aquaculture and Fisheries Extension

Resources to help you plan and manage for recreational fishing or commercial aquaculture.

Beef Extension

Comprehensive resources for the Missouri beef industry

Corn and Sorghum

Resources for Missouri's corn and sorghum farming industries.

Cotton Extension

Research-based information to support Missouri cotton production.

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Agriculture and environment

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Bold Goal, Bold Future

Growing agriculture

Continue learning

On-farm safety

Food safety

Disaster recovery

Eventstab

Events

News & articlestab

News & articles

Publicationstab

Publications

Online coursestab

Online courses

CEU Train the Trainer for Missouri Certified Swine Sample Collector Training

Missouri Master Gardener Online Core Training - Fall 2022

The Beginning Gardener-Getting Started with Vegetables 2021

Resourcestab

Resources

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Featured programs

Agricultural Business and Policy Extension

Annie's Project

Aquaculture and Fisheries Extension

Beef Extension

Corn and Sorghum

Cotton Extension

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