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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Scouting Alfalfa for Summer Insect Problems

Event date: May 17, 2021

Event time: | 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Learn how to scout for summer alfalfa insect pest problems by attending this workshop. MU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist will discuss potential summer insect problems in alfalfa and how to scout for them in this free on-line Zoom ...

Mid-Missouri Master Pollinator Steward

Event date: May 19, 2021 - June 25, 2021

Pollinators — such as bees, birds, butterflies, bats and insects — play a crucial role in the production of most fruits and vegetables. They also support healthy ecosystems that clean the air, stabilize soils and support wildlife.Studies show ...

Missouri Master Pollinator Steward

Event date: May 19, 2021 - June 24, 2021

Kirksville, MO

Pollinators, such as bees, birds, butterflies, bats and insects play a crucial role in the production of most fruits and vegetables. They also support healthy ecosystems that clean the air, stabilize soils and support wildlife. Studies show that ...

Mizzou Community Leadership Network (May 19)

Event date: May 19, 2021 - Nov. 19, 2021

Springfield, MO

The goal of these quarterly luncheons is to connect Mizzou alumni who are leading in the county with MU Extension staff and supporters who are putting boots to the ground with exciting local efforts.Each gathering features a presentation by a Mizzou ...

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Cicadas are coming, but not to Missouri

Published: Monday, May 10, 2021

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Periodical cicadas are coming in 2021, but probably not to Missouri.University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall says Missourians may see some straggler cicadas from other states but not the massive swarms of noisy ...

Fight fatigue, stress on the farm with sleep for better bottom line

Published: Friday, April 30, 2021

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Long hours during calving and planting seasons can cause fatigue and stress, leading to accidents and costly mistakes, says Mary Engram, University of Missouri Extension human development specialist.“Lack of sleep affects us ...

Free SCN tests available to farmers

Published: Monday, April 26, 2021

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri farmers can submit two free tests to beat the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) by contacting their county University of Missouri Extension center or the SCN Diagnostics laboratory.Testing soil before planting soybean is vital, ...

Low temperatures leave plants in the cold

Published: Thursday, April 22, 2021

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Winter-hardy perennial flowers likely will survive April’s historic low temperatures across Missouri, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.Their tender annual counterparts, however, may not be so ...

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Soybean Gall Midge

Publication date: April 1, 2021

Soybean gall midge (Resseliella maxima) is a newly described insect species that attacks soybean creating severe economic damage. Isolated sightings were first reported in Nebraska during 2011. Soybean gall midge is currently established in 114 ...

Hair Shedding Scores: A Tool to Select Heat Tolerant Cattle

Publication date: April 1, 2021

Responsible beef breeding requires matching cattle genetics to production environment. This is necessary for at least three reasons: Profitability, animal well-being and improved environmental impact. Cattle that are well-suited to their environment ...

Missouri’s Fencing and Boundary Laws: Frequently Asked Questions

Publication date: April 1, 2021

Missouri has two fence laws: the general fence law (updated Aug. 28, 2001) and the local option fence law. In addition, Missouri law addresses special situations of property bordering a road, a railroad or a body of water. Landowners need to be aware ...

Weather-Related Sales of Livestock

Publication date: April 1, 2021

Weather variability is one of the largest sources of risk in agricultural production. Livestock producers forced to sell animals because of weather-related conditions (such as flood, drought or other conditions that cause a shortage of water or feed) ...

Estrus Synchronization Recommendations for Natural Service Bull Breeding

Publication date: March 1, 2021

Introduction: While artificial insemination is an excellent choice for an increasing number of producers, it is not the only option after a synchronization program. A variety of simple synchronization protocols can be used effectively with natural ...

Estrus Synchronization Recommendations for Artificial Insemination of Beef Cows

Publication date: March 1, 2021

Select Synch: This protocol requires heat detection and will require performing AI over multiple days. Note that heat detection needs to begin on the day prior to administration of PG. Because it does not involve a CIDR, this protocol has a lower ...

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Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incident Response Awareness 050121

May 1, 2021 - June 15, 2021

$25.00

Welcome to Hazardous Materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction Incident Response Awareness. This awareness-level course is the first level of first responder certification. A first responder must be properly trained and mentally prepared when called ...

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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Soil testing information (PDF)

Information on submitting soil samples to the MU Soil Testing Laboratory for testing.

Cash Rental Rates

Maps for USDA-NASS cash rental rates across Missouri counties for non-irrigated cropland, irrigated cropland and pasture land.

Growing Blueberries in Missouri (PDF)

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.

How much rent to pay for cropland

It is the time of year when many farmers and ranchers are renegotiating leases. However, knowing just how much land or pasture is fetching for rent is often difficult as many landlords or tenants are not willing to share those figures.

Economic Impact of the Missouri Grazing Schools (PDF)

Impact study, conducted by MU Extension's Commercial Agriculture Program, estimates that management-intensive grazing has raised the economic output of Missouri’s beef industry by more than $125 million annually, supporting more than 2,000 jobs.

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Featured programs

Weed Science Extension

Allowing turf professionals, farmers and homeowners to search for and identify common weeds from alligatorweed to yucca.

Master Gardener

Provides in-depth horticulture training for Missourians who wish to spread their knowledge of gardening.

Missouri Blueberry School

The Missouri Blueberry School brings together all who have an interest in blueberry production in Missouri and surrounding states.

Pesticide Applicator Training

Helping individuals who wish to become licensed commercial pesticide applicators reduce the harmful effects of improper pesticide use.

Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory

Analyzes soil, plant, water, manure, compost and greenhouse media.

Master Pollinator Steward

Learn about the relationship between pollinators such as honeybees and a healthy ecosystem.

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Agriculture and environment

Ag Engineering Edge

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

Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incident Response Awareness 050121

The Beginning Gardener-Getting Started with Vegetables 2021

Resourcestab

Resources

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Featured programs

Weed Science Extension

Master Gardener

Missouri Blueberry School

Pesticide Applicator Training

Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory

Master Pollinator Steward

All programs

Meet the experts