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Health, wellness contribute to farm safety
COLUMBIA, Mo. – During this year’s Ag Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) Week, March 2-6, University of Missouri Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch joins the American Farm Bureau Federation and other safety professionals in encouraging farmers to make their health and well-being a priority. Personal wellness directly supports farm safety and long-term farm success, Funkenbusch says.
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Grazing too soon sets up pastures up for yearlong failure
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers and ranchers often grow tired of feeding hay by late February and early March. Most can’t wait to get back to grazing. But no so fast, says University of Missouri Extension state grazing specialist Harley Naumann. “Late winter grazing pressure on cool-season pastures can compromise spring regrowth,” he says. “It is important to not begin grazing too early – at spring green-up, for example.”
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Ag technology takes to the skies in March 14 training
BUFFALO, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension faculty will offer a daylong training on using drones in agriculture and other commercial applications on March 14 in Buffalo. The event offers discussion and hands-on training about how to use drones in Missouri agriculture, says Caleb O’Neal, MU Extension field specialist in plant science and lead instructor for the course.
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Connecting a city through neighboring
In Excelsior Springs, a simple idea — neighbors getting to know one another — is reshaping a city. With support from University of Missouri Extension’s Engaged Neighbor Program, residents launched block parties, volunteer efforts and business collaborations that are building trust, boosting civic pride and strengthening community ties.
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Creative entrepreneurship workshop, vendor fair coming to Poplar Bluff
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension will host HOMEGROWN: Creative Entrepreneurship in Your Community, a free, two-day workshop and vendor fair to support creative entrepreneurs and strengthen the local creative economy, April 17-18, in Poplar Bluff.
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Consult vets in spring management decisions for optimal cattle health, performance
STOCKTON, Mo. – “As spring approaches, cattle operations face a range of important management decisions,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Engaging your local veterinarian can provide guidance, as they possess the expertise required to support sound management choices that enhance productivity and profitability.
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Texas County Cattlemen host Beef Quality Assurance training event
HOUSTON, Mo. — Area cattle producers and community members participated in a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training on Feb. 5 at the First Baptist Church in Houston. This educational event was hosted in partnership with the Texas County Cattlemen’s Association and University of Missouri Extension in Texas County. Progressive Ozark Bank in Houston sponsored the meal for participants.
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Tax changes to senior income, car loan interest for 2025–28
New federal tax changes will affect some seniors and car buyers beginning in the 2025 tax year, providing potential deductions on income for seniors and certain vehicle purchases.
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Tips for choosing the right pest control company
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tamra Reall, a field specialist in horticulture with University of Missouri Extension, emphasizes the importance of choosing a pest control company with the same care you would use for any other service: by considering quality, convenience and value.
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Better gardens begin with a soil test
When soil is workable, start your gardening season off right with a soil test to reveal nutrient levels and pH balance, which are critical factors for successful gardening.
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SW Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale set for March 30 in Springfield
The Southwest Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale is 7 p.m. Monday, March 30, at the Springfield Livestock Marketing Center in Springfield. The sale features 27 bulls, including 22 Angus, three Gelbvieh and two SimAngus animals.
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Safe cooking and reheating during cold weather
COLUMBIA, Mo. – During cold weather, people often prepare warm, comforting meals and store leftovers for later. While this is convenient, improper cooking, storage and reheating can increase the risk of foodborne illness. Following safe food handling practices helps ensure that meals remain both nutritious and safe to eat, says Kantha Channaiah, a University of Missouri Extension food scientist.
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MU Extension releases new guides to help Missourians manage alpha-gal syndrome
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As cases of alpha-gal syndrome continue to surface across the Show-Me-State, University of Missouri Extension has released five new publications to help individuals and families understand, prevent and manage the condition.
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Ag Outlook Conference features new FAPRI leadership, key national policy voices
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI-MU) will host the 2026 Abner W. Womack Missouri Agricultural Outlook Conference on Wednesday, April 8. The free event will be held at the Poehlmann Education Center at the MU Bradford Research Farm in Columbia.
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Lafayette County Extension District acquires 30 acres for new facilities
HIGGINSVILLE, Mo. – The University of Missouri Extension District in Lafayette County has acquired approximately 30 acres on the south side of Higginsville for the development of a new countywide educational facility.
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MDC, MU Extension thank Missouri Master Naturalists for 2025 accomplishments
The Missouri Department of Conservation and University of Missouri Extension thank Missouri’s 937 Master Naturalists for volunteering more than 82,000 hours to conserving Missouri’s natural resources in 2025.
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MU Extension in Caldwell County honors local leaders, Century Farms
The Caldwell County MU Extension Council celebrated the previous year’s successes at its annual meeting. Highlights of the event included the Leader’s Honor Roll awards, Century Farm recognition and Extension Council oaths of office.
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Missouri EATs invites communities to strengthen food systems through grant-funded opportunity
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Communities across Missouri can now apply for the next round of Missouri EATs, a grant-funded initiative from University of Missouri Extension that helps communities strengthen their local food systems. One community will be selected to work with MU Extension and the Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership team on a comprehensive planning process.
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Prevent herbicide injury in residential neighborhoods
CARROLLTON, Mo. – Kathi Mecham, a field specialist in horticulture with University of Missouri Extension, says herbicide injury isn’t limited to agricultural areas. Garden and landscape plants can also be harmed, and reports from Carroll County last season illustrate the problem.
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Camden County youths experience civic leadership at Capitol
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Camden County youths recently took part in a Civic Leadership Day at the Missouri State Capitol. The students were participants in University of Missouri Extension’s REACH for Camden County Youth Development Program, said Ashley Allen-Brown, MU Extension field specialist and originator of the program.
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New tax break on overtime pay comes with limits
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new federal tax provision allows some workers to deduct part of their overtime pay from their taxable income, but the change is narrower and more complicated than it may sound. The provision, in effect for tax years 2025 through 2028, does not eliminate taxes on all overtime pay, according to Andrew Zumwalt, director of the University of Missouri’s Personal Financial Planning program.
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Cropland to pasture: Linneus workshop offers the how and why
LINNEUS, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service specialists will join with the Alliance for Grassland Renewal to present a March 3 workshop on how to convert cropland to pasture.
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Give Valentine's Day flowers TLC for extended enjoyment
Learn how to extend the life of Valentine's Day flowers with a simple homemade preservative and expert tips to keep them fresh longer.
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Christian Co. Livestock and Forage Conference is March 3
OZARK, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists will offer updates to help producers grow better forages for healthier herds and better profits at the annual Christian County Livestock and Forage Conference, 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. The free event will be held in the Agriculture Building of Ozarks Technical Community College’s Richmond Valley campus, 3369 W. Jackson St., Ozark, said MU Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.
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Grazing during spring green-up
Seeing the bright green new growth pop up in our pastures signals the end of winter and the transition into spring. As that short green carpet starts to come up, cattle start chasing that short growth and may turn their noses up to hay they were previously eating well. However, allowing cattle to nip off this short regrowth can slow down the pasture growth moving into the spring.