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July 23 farm tour to showcase warm-season grasses
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will hold a free farm tour on July 23 to highlight two successful Lawrence County farm operations that use native warm-season grasses in their forage programs.
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Gardens will thank you very 'mulch' during summer heat
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mulches benefit gardens throughout the year, but they are particularly helpful during the heat of summer, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities: Bridging Missouri’s Rural Economic Divide
Missouri's rural communities are a mix of thriving and struggling areas, each with its unique challenges and successes. Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities (CEC), facilitated by the University of Missouri Extension, plays a crucial role in bridging these varied experiences, fostering a collaborative environment where best practices, success stories, and innovative ideas are shared.
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Dealing with cattle herd anaplasmosis
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Summertime brings factors that lead to anaplasmosis in cattle operations,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Anaplasmosis can affect cattle operation performance due to calf abortions, decreased weight gain, bull infertility and animal death.
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Japanese beetle numbers increasing in corn, soybean
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri corn and soybean growers are reporting growing numbers of Japanese beetles in crops in recent weeks, says University of Missouri Extension state entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. Valmorbida uses numbers from MU Extension’s Pest Monitoring Network, which gathers information from across the state
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Post-drought pasture improvement takes more than rain
LINNEUS, Mo.– Heavy rainfall throughout much of Missouri on July 2 may have lessened worries about drought damage in pastures, but one good rain won’t undo the damage to mismanaged pastures during two straight years of drought, according to two University of Missouri Extension specialists based at the MU Forage Systems Research Center in Linneus.
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Vaccines again? I already got these shots!
Vaccines are safe and effective tools for preventing the spread of diseases that are shared person to person. The American Association of Immunologists reminds us that each August we celebrate National Immunization Awareness Month to let everyone know which vaccines to get and how often. Some shots are given one time in our lives. Others require boosters or extra doses to make sure we stay protected against that disease.
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Tar spot growing in Missouri corn crops
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A yield-robbing corn disease, tar spot, is gaining ground in Missouri. Tar spot has been confirmed in 19 counties in 2024, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Corn growers in nearly half of the state’s counties have reported tar spot since Missouri’s first confirmed case in 2018.
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Missouri 4-H Week brings youths to Mizzou for leadership, learning
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Following Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of 4-H members gathered on the University of Missouri campus for Missouri 4-H Week. This weeklong celebration features two major events for the 4-H program: 4-H Teen Conference and State 4-H Congress.
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Missouri 4-H'ers elect peers to State 4-H Council
Missouri 4-H'ers elect peers to State 4-H Council
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Mizzou field days set for sites across state
Producers and the public are invited to save the dates for the following regional events in which extension specialists and researchers from the University of Missouri share their agricultural findings.
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Protect yourself from heat stress in the garden
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Gardeners love to garden, but don’t overdo it on hot summer days. During extreme heat, the best time to do garden tasks is early in the morning, said Donna Aufdenberg, University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist. The second-best time is in the late evening.
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Beat the heat with horseradish
COLUMBIA, Mo. – There is scientific evidence suggesting that eating something spicy on a hot summer day will make you feel cooler, says University of Missouri horticulturist David Trinklein.
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Diabetes prevention is focus of community health partnership in SW Missouri
MONETT, Mo. – Cindy McCracken says she’s on a mission to live a healthier life. A partnership in southwestern Missouri is helping her do just that.
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Protecting sheep and goats from heat stress
OSCEOLA, Mo. – Sheep and goats are susceptible to heat stress in the summer, and a revised University of Missouri Extension publication updates management practices for producers to protect their animals.
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Youths learn about food safety through 4-H Protect the Plate Challenge
COLUMBIA, Mo. – More than 1,800 youths across Missouri learned more about precision agriculture by participating in the 2024 4-H Ag Innovators Experience Protect the Plate Challenge.
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Beat the heat
Whether you’re showing livestock at a county fair, picnicking at the park or working outdoors, University of Missouri Extension has research-based resources to help you stay safe when summer temperatures sizzle. Keeping your cool News releases
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Biosecurity essential when showing animals during fair season
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Biosecurity should be top of mind for those who show animals at county and state fairs, especially in the case of swine. University of Missouri Extension veterinarian Cory Bromfield said she’s noticed less concern overall about African swine fever (ASF) among pork producers and those who show pigs. She calls it “ASF fatigue.”
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4-H youths travel to Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado for equine careers tour
COLUMBIA, Mo. –Forty youths from across Missouri traveled to Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado to learn more about equine careers May 20-26 on the University of Missouri Extension 4-H Equine Tour, said Maria Calvert, MU Extension state 4-H agriculture educator.
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Managing heat stress in sheep and goats
OSCEOLA, Mo. – As the summer months set in, sheep and goat producers should watch their animals for heat stress, says David Brown, University of Missouri small ruminant specialist. Although sheep and goats can tolerate heat better than other livestock species, long-term exposure might have devastating effects on the health and performance of the animals.
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Farm business operators can tackle labor crunch with seasonal workers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As summer arrives in the Show-Me State, farm business operators often experience periods of fluctuating labor needs. Seasonal workers, including young people, can offer extra capacity during critical times.
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Clover Classic raises more than $92,000 for Missouri 4-H
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The 14th annual Missouri 4-H Clover Classic Golf Tournament, June 4, raised more than $92,000, setting a new record in the Missouri 4-H Foundation’s history. The tournament, at the A.L. Gustin Golf Course in Columbia, drew participants and supporters from across the state. Co-presenting sponsors were Climate Field View and Great American Insurance-Crop Division.
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Missouri Master Naturalists celebrate program's 20th anniversary
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri Master Naturalists recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the program during a state conference in Columbia hosted by the Boone’s Lick Master Naturalist chapter.
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Heatstroke can kill quickly in hot cars
COLUMBIA, Mo. – When the news has another tragic story about a child accidentally left in a hot car, parents might believe they could never make a mistake like that. “It’s not just negligent parents or indifferent caregivers. When juggling the demands of work, parenting and daily life, it’s easier than you might think to make a simple but fatal mistake,” says Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri Extension health and safety…
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Strip trials an effective way to test nitrogen rates on cornfields
COLUMBIA, Mo. – On-farm strip trials are an effective way for farmers to test their nitrogen fertilizer rate on corn. “A wet May has lots of farmers wondering about the nitrogen status of their corn crop,” said John Lory, University of Missouri Extension nutrient management specialist. “Wet conditions and warm soils can lead to nitrogen loss of fertilizer.”