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Missouri 4-H Foundation awards $101,000 in scholarships
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri 4-H Foundation has awarded 78 scholarships totaling $101,000 to 4-H youths across the state for the 2025-26 academic year.
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Making pizza in the garden
ALBANY, Mo. – University of Missouri’s Hundley-Whaley Extension and Education Center will soon help gardeners learn how to grow their own pizza toppings, says MU Extension field horticulturist Gwen Funk. The idea comes from thinking outside of the pizza box, and it delivers taste and fun, Funk says.
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MU RaFF releases policy brief on changes to Federal Milk Marketing Orders
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new policy brief by the University of Missouri Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) weighs in on changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs).
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Replant or roll with it? MU guide weighs costs, payoffs
COLUMBIA, Mo. – When faced with a sparse or failed stand, crop producers have to ask themselves a difficult question: Should I replant?
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MU Extension offers free webinar series on virtual fencing
A free webinar series will introduce graziers to technology that uses GPS collars on livestock to create invisible fences. Monthly sessions run June through October.
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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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Scout deep into fields for tar spot
Good scouting is the best way to identify tar spot in corn, says University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Tar spot was confirmed in June of 2023 and 2024 in Missouri, which is earlier than in previous years, when the disease showed up in August or September. This earlier appearance is likely to continue because Missouri’s spring air temperatures are favorable for the disease, says Bish.
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Greater marketing prospects, premium value for Missouri-produced heifers
University of Missouri Extension’s Show-Me-Select (SMS) Replacement Heifer Program offers increased marketing prospects and premium value, according to an analysis by Thiago Martins, state extension beef reproduction specialist, and Adauto Rocha Junior, assistant extension professor of agricultural business and policy.
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SW Missouri Show-Me-Select sale sets new records
STOCKTON, Mo. – “People are enjoying high cattle prices, and the 57th Southwest Missouri Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program sale on May 16 at Joplin Regional Stockyards near Carthage was no different,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Eight consignors sold 124 heifers for a record average price of $4,010 per heifer.
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Three days to hay with a minor change
LINNEUS, Mo. – May’s precipitation has made haymaking challenging when rain is frequent and sometimes unpredictable, but University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts has a tip to help hay dry down quicker. Roberts turns the knob to set the swath boards on the swather to the widest setting.
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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
Poppies honor fallen soldiers, symbolizing remembrance and sacrifice each Memorial Day and beyond.
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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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Expert comment: Potential cuts to federal food assistance, nutrition education
Experts discuss how proposed cuts to federal food assistance and nutrition education programs could affect communities and families.
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Child care gaps cost Missouri $1.15 billion per year, research finds
Child care shortages cost Missouri $1.15 billion annually through lost tax revenue, absenteeism, and limited workforce participation.
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Iris, goddess of rainbows, splashes color over spring gardens
Spring gardens brighten as Greek mythology’s rainbow messenger inspires irises in every hue—durable, intricate blooms for weeks of vivid display.
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Jefferson Farm & Garden provides bedding plants to nonprofits statewide
Jefferson Farm & Garden supplies thousands of free bedding plants to schools and community gardens across Missouri, supporting local food access.
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Make hay in May for best quality, yield
Cutting hay in May boosts quality and yield. Harvest before seed develops and store properly to preserve nutrients and minimize losses.
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Crystal Burch honored with Missouri 4-H volunteer leadership award
Crystal Burch is honored for 11+ years of service with the 2025 Missouri 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award.
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The peaks and valleys of travel
Travel can boost mood, reduce stress, and build resilience, but planning ahead helps manage challenges and protect mental health.
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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
Missouri’s population grew 1.5% from 2020–2024, driven entirely by domestic and international migration.
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MU forage specialist begins new podcast
A forage specialist launches a podcast sharing tips on pasture management, livestock production, and improving forage systems.
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Good cattle market led to a strong bull sale in Springfield
High cattle prices powered a strong bull sale in Springfield, averaging $5,458 across 26 bulls—around $1,600 more per head than spring 2024.