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Private, public cooperators reduce Missouri feral hog numbers
SALEM, Mo. – Feral hog occupancy of Missouri watersheds has fallen 84% since 2016, when the state’s Feral Hog Elimination Partnership began. Funded by the U.S. Farm Bill and managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, the partnership comprises 18 federal and state entities work together to eliminate feral hogs on public and private lands.
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Poppy: Remembrance of fallen heroes
The red poppy symbolizes remembrance of soldiers who died in combat, inspired by John McCrae's 1915 poem "In Flanders Fields." More than a century later the poppy still symbolizes Memorial Day and is used to honor our fallen military heroes.
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NRUP applicator training set for May 30 in Nixa
Noncertified restricted-use pesticide (NRUP) applicator training has been set for May 30 in Nixa. This training, which runs 8:30 a.m. to noon, covers the required Missouri competency standards like reading and understanding pesticide labels, pesticide application techniques, safely storing and disposing of chemicals and protecting pollinators and other wildlife.
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Fly and tick control in cattle
It’s the time of year when flies and ticks start becoming a problem for cattle, and they can be more than just a nuisance. “These external parasites not only cause irritation and stress but also reduce production efficiency and serve as vectors for certain cattle diseases,” said Craig Payne, University of Missouri director of veterinary extension.
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Women in Livestock: Smarter marketing with AI
University of Missouri Extension’s Pearls of Production program is hosting a webinar series for women livestock producers across the state. The next session, 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 24, will include a hands-on demo and practical discussion on using artificial intelligence tools to build content calendars, write marketing copy and create images.
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MU Management Intensive Grazing School set for June 16-18 in Arcola
Efficient forage management and utilization are crucial to the profitability of a livestock operation. MU Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Missouri Forage and Grasslands Council, and the Dade County Missouri Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host a Management Intensive Grazing School June 16-18 at the Arcola Community Building at First Street and Highway 39 in Arcola.
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Missouri Dairy Summer Social is June 5
VANZANT, Mo. – Missouri Dairy’s fifth annual Summer Social, held in partnership with University of Missouri Extension, is 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at Twin Knobs Dairy in Vanzant.
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Expert comment: Potential cuts to federal food assistance, nutrition education
The U.S. House Agriculture Committee recently approved a proposal that would make it harder to qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), reduce benefits and make other changes. Jo Britt-Rankin, director of MU Extension SNAP-Ed, is available for interviews about SNAP, SNAP-Ed and how the proposed changes could affect Missourians.
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Severe weather resources from MU Extension
Prepare for Missouri's tornadoes, floods, and late-season winter storms with expert guidance, emergency kits, evacuation routes, and communication plans.
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Updates on crop diseases at MU Crop & Pest Management Field Day
University of Missouri Extension state specialists will cover a variety of topics July 10 at the annual Crop and Pest Management Field Day at MU’s Bradford Research Farm in Columbia. MU Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish will address tar spot and red crown rot, two diseases that threaten Missouri corn and soybean yields.
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Butterfly Festival is June 21 at MU Jefferson Farm and Garden
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Celebrate the beauty of butterflies at the eighth annual Butterfly Festival at the University of Missouri Jefferson Farm and Garden in Columbia. The free event on Saturday, June 21, brings together nature lovers, families and butterfly enthusiasts for a day of education, exploration and hands-on activities, said Debi Kelly, state coordinator of the MU Extension Master Gardener Program.
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Free local produce for low-income seniors
Lower-income older adults in Missouri may now enroll in the 2025 Missouri Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and enjoy fresh local produce at no cost.
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Midwest Boar Stud Managers Conference is Aug. 13-14 in St. Louis
The Midwest Boar Stud Managers Conference is set for Aug. 13-14 in St. Louis. Speakers from across the globe will tackle a variety of pertinent topics, said event organizer Tim Safranski, a University of Missouri Extension state swine breeding specialist.
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Child care gaps cost Missouri $1.15 billion per year, research finds
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new report from University of Missouri Extension reveals a staggering economic toll of Missouri’s child care crisis: an estimated $1.15 billion lost each year due to access challenges.
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Iris, goddess of rainbows, splashes color over spring gardens
COLUMBIA, Mo. – According to Greek mythology, a golden-winged goddess named Iris traveled on a rainbow to bring messages from gods to mortals. Legend has it that colorful flowers sprung up at the end of the rainbow wherever she stepped.
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Jefferson Farm & Garden provides bedding plants to nonprofits statewide
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension’s Jefferson Farm and Garden in Columbia has raised about 5,000 spring bedding plants so far this year and supplied them to hundreds of gardens throughout the state.
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Make hay in May for best quality, yield
COLUMBIA, Mo. – For yield and quality, May is the best time to harvest cool-season grasses, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann. May is when cool-season grasses transition from the vegetative stage to the reproductive stage. Many grasses such as tall fescue, orchard grass and Kentucky bluegrass are already flowering in parts of Missouri.
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Crystal Burch honored with Missouri 4-H volunteer leadership award
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Celebrating National Volunteer Week, the Missouri 4-H Foundation is proud to present Crystal Burch with the 2025 Naomi Crouch 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award. Crystal is recognized for more than 11 years of service and support to 4-H in Vernon County. “We are honored to recognize Crystal Burch for her outstanding efforts on behalf of Vernon County 4-H,” said Rachel Augustine, director of the Missouri 4-H Foundation.
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The peaks and valleys of travel
Traveling to the mountains for vacation this summer? Or is the beach more your style? Either way, let’s explore the peaks and valleys of travel in regard to stress and mental health.
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MU Extension, partners host Birding and Habitat Walk on June 14
MU Extension and the Missouri Department of Conservation will hold a Birding and Habitat Walk 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at the Prairie Fork Conservation Area near Williamsburg. During the free event, participants will learn about birds and their habitats such as prairies, woodlands and forests.
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Protecting your home and buildings from wildfire
COLUMBIA, Mo. – May is a good time for Missouri landowners to take proactive steps in protecting homes, barns and other structures from the threat of wildfire, says Joni Harper, field specialist in natural resources for University of Missouri Extension.
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Use fenceline weaning to improve calf postweaning performance
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Postweaning calf performance is important to cow-calf operators and future calf owners,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Optimum performance is achieved by reducing weaning stress. Davis discusses fenceline weaning as a management strategy to reduce weaning stress, which ultimately reduces sickness and improves calf performance postweaning.
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Report outlines Missouri population growth
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Analysis from University of Missouri Extension has placed Missouri as the 19th-most-populous state in the U.S. as of 2024, with 6.25 million residents.
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Registration open for Show-Me Neighborhood Art Week
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – From June 1 to June 15, 2025, Missouri neighborhoods will once again become outdoor art galleries celebrating local talent, civic pride and neighborly connections. “After a wildly successful debut last year, Show-Me Neighborhood Art Week is back and bigger than ever,” said David Burton, University of Missouri Extension community development specialist.
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MU forage specialist begins new podcast
State forage agronomy specialist Carson Roberts recently released the “Productive Pastures Podcast,” featuring livestock and forage producers, researchers and others interested in management-intensive grazing, livestock production and forage production.