New MU lab helps food businesses ensure safety
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri’s new Food Processing and Safety Lab helps people who make and sell processed foods ensure they are safe. “Our new lab gives agri-entrepreneurs and food businesses a qualified testing facility to ensure their products meet safety standards,” said Rob Kallenbach, associate dean of extension in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
Calculating winter feed costs for beef cows
SEDALIA, Mo. – Escalating costs for hay and supplements has many cattle producers concerned, especially in the face of very poor pasture conditions and limited hay supplies in some areas of the state.
Volatility in farm input costs here to stay, says MU researcher
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Increased volatility in prices of farm inputs such as fertilizer is likely here to stay well into 2023, says Ben Brown, University of Missouri senior research associate for the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute.
10 Greene County Residents Recognized for Their Efforts to be an Engaged Neighbor
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The University of Missouri Extension Greene County Extension Council is pleased to announce ten Greene County residents chosen for special recognition as neighbors. Missourians from all walks of life celebrated the first Missouri Good Neighbor Week (Sept 28 – Oct. 4) by doing and reporting neighboring acts and nominating others as the most engaged neighbors in their respective counties.
Adding value to the family farm business, Inland Cape Rice Mill - Scott City, MO
Sam Schneider and his wife eat rice at every meal, so transitioning the family farm into growing rice was a challenge he was happy to take on.
Spring flowers shine from bulbs planted in the fall
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you think autumn is the time to put away your gardening tools for the year, think again. It’s bulb-planting time.“Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths won’t greet you in the spring if they’re not planted in the fall,” said David Trinklein, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. Spring-flowering bulbs need 10 to 14 weeks of cool temperatures to induce flowering.
17 Missourians recognized with statewide awards following first Missouri Good Neighbor Week
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The first statewide awards for Missouri Good Neighbor Week were announced Oct. 20 by the joint sponsors of the campaign, University of Missouri Extension in Greene County and The Hopeful Neighborhood Project, headquartered in St. Louis. Missourians from all walks of life celebrated the first Missouri Good Neighbor Week, Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, by doing and reporting neighboring acts and nominating others as the most…
4-H youths fall into fashion
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The 2022 Missouri 4-H Fashion Revue drew 56 youths from 27 counties to model their garments and participate in educational workshops Oct. 8 on the University of Missouri campus.Missouri 4-H partnered with faculty from the Stephens College Department of Fashion and graduate students from the MU Department of Textile and Apparel Management to provide judging and workshops for this year’s event.
Apple bobbing: British game of sweet, sour or rotten courting
COLUMBIA, Mo – Some traditions say apple bobbing can foretell love and heartbreak.
Tight labor market challenges farm employers to rethink compensation
PARIS, Mo. – Today’s tight labor market makes it harder for farm employers to compete for workers, says Ryan Milhollin, University of Missouri Extension agricultural economist.
Missouri Good Neighbor Week Reaches its Goal
The results of Missouri Good Neighbor Week (Sept. 28 – Oct. 4) have been overwhelming. The stretch goal for the week was to document 10,000 acts of neighboring in Missouri and as of Oct. 5, there have been 12,851 acts of neighboring documented. Over 100 Missourians have been nominated as Missouri’s Most Engaged Neighbor! It will take several days to organize the final submissions and send information to county-level…
Why Agriculture is Important for Everyone to Understand
Why would the average resident of southwest Missouri want to read about agriculture?For starters, we need to be knowledgeable about the sources of our food and fiber products. Surveys continue to show that most Americans no little about their food or fiber sources.This lack of knowledge about agriculture can affect public policy that directly impacts producers and consumers. That means having an agriculturally literate society is…
Demand for houseplants is thriving
CARTHAGE, Mo. – Spending on houseplants and office plants has flourished in recent years, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Robert Balek.The act of giving houseplants as get-well gifts surged in 2019, and the increase has continued since then, Balek says. According to a 2021 survey by the National Gardening Association, spending on houseplants grew a whopping 30% in 2021 compared to 2020.
'Force' bulbs indoors for early spring beauty
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 outdoor counterparts make their appearance,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
MU videos share cattle management practices in drought
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 fertilization of pastures lending to lower hay yields and drought in the southern half of Missouri,” said Eric Bailey, University of Missouri Extension state beef specialist. “Folks are eating…
Finding the courage to pursue excellence, Areté Contracting - Jefferson City, MO
Kyle Te had always wanted to go the self-employment route, but for a long time he didn’t have the courage to do it or a clear idea of what industry would be the right fit.Then he found his fit and that gave him the courage.
October Farm Management News and Notes from MU Extension
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 you are in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and differentiate between family and business roles.Make a short-term operating plan
More Missouri farmers growing peanuts
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – This is peanut harvest time in the Missouri Bootheel. Interest in the versatile legume has grown among Bootheel farmers since 2018, says University of Missouri Extension soils and cropping systems specialist Justin Calhoun.
Plant bulbs in fall for spring beauty
JACKSON, Mo. – Nothing spells spring like blooms peeking out from the depths of winter.Planning and planting in fall will reward gardeners with blooms in spring, says Donna Aufdenberg, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.During a recent MU Extension Integrated Pest Management Town Hall, Aufdenberg gave tips on how gardeners can buy and plant bulbs now for future enjoyment.
Order apple trees in fall for spring planting
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall is prime time for harvesting juicy, crunchy fresh apples at their peak of perfection.“While munching on those tasty fall treats, make sure to peruse the nursery catalogs and place an order for apple trees to plant in your own yard,” says Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
Let the gourd times roll
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall is the time to harvest, cure and store ornamental gourds, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.“Gourds are thought to be among the first domesticated plant species, dating back to as early as 13,000 B.C,” Trinklein said. “Through the years, dried gourds served many purposes – as ladles, birdhouses and luffa fibers used in diverse items such as oil filters, life preservers, scrubbing…
Missouri 4-H places first at All-American Dairy Cattle Judging Contest
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Missouri 4-H’s dairy judging team finished first overall at the 2022 All-American Dairy Show Invitational Youth Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held Sept. 19 in Harrisburg, Pa.
Make sure bulls are ready for fall breeding season
STOCKTON, Mo. – Make sure bulls are physically and reproductively sound before the fall breeding season, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis.
MU Extension hosts regional leadership development program
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Twenty-seven leaders from 13 states graduated from the North Central Cooperative National Extension Leadership Development (NELD) program, hosted by MU Extension’s Missouri Training Institute (MTI).
Pumpkin ushers in fall decorations, foods
STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. – It is pumpkin time, when people celebrate the versatile vegetable that marks seasons, holidays and traditions.This member of the squash family has been grown in North America for thousands of years, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Katie Kammler.