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MU pesticide safety program vital to state's ag economy
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Sam Polly, coordinator of University of Missouri Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program, wants to make Missouri a safer place that allows Missouri’s agricultural economy to continue to grow. Polly says the program is the backbone of agricultural and commercial pest management in Missouri. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries contribute $369 million annually to the state’s economy.
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Don't trash the ashes
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The phrase “waste not, want not” goes back to a time when the essentials of life were difficult to obtain, but it continues to be good advice today, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. It applies even to ashes produced this time of the year by wood-burning fireplaces and stoves. “When collected and spread on the garden, wood ashes are an excellent and free source of calcium and other…
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Missouri faces a child care crisis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri is in a child care crisis. Like broadband, child care is at the heart of so much that affects a family’s livelihood and opportunities. Just as MU Extension has worked to improve statewide broadband access, we’re addressing Missouri’s child care crisis, too.
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New year, new job? Here's how to stand out with your search
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s a worker’s market, with 10 openings for every six unemployed workers in Missouri. But there are important caveats to keep in mind for a successful search in 2024, said Rob Russell, University of Missouri Extension senior program director for business and community development.
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With key caveats, it's a job hunter's market for years to come
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s still a job hunter’s market out there, but landing the right position may be harder than it looks in 2024, according to University of Missouri researchers. An aging population and slow-growing labor force give workers the advantage as they seek jobs. There are currently 10 job openings in Missouri for every six unemployed workers, said Alan Spell, assistant extension professor of community and regional economics…
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Show Me Food helps you find fresh, local food
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Across Missouri, one in nine people – including one in eight children – face hunger. Using data available on All Things Missouri, we can clearly see overlapping areas of high food insecurity and food deserts (figure 1) in the state.
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Tuesday Tip videos bring gardening tips alive
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Dedicated volunteers from Extension Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City create the Tuesday Tip series of short videos designed to educate and entertain those interested in gardening.
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Give Valentine's Day flowers some TLC for extended enjoyment
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Valentine’s Day flowers will last longer if kept watered and fed, said University of Missouri horticulturist David Trinklein. Trinklein’s tips and homemade preservative recipe provide an extended warranty of sorts to make certain flowers last up to twice their normal lifespan.
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Reducing hay waste when supplies are low
After two years of droughts in Missouri, hay supplies are low, with many producers feeding hay during the summer months and lacking the pasture growth to get the tonnage comparable to previous year’s hay crops. Many producers in southern Missouri reported 50%-75% reductions in first-cutting hay crops in 2023. With such a low availability of hay in the state and high input costs, the price of hay has increased, which adds insult to…
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What to do if you're short on hay this winter
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The recent cold snap increased hay needs for beef cows and is putting the squeeze on tight hay inventory. And without a wet winter to overcome soil moisture deficits, it is possible that grass growth rate will be delayed/slowed this spring.
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Students discover STEM, ag careers at day camp hosted by Missouri 4-H and Bayer
CREVE COEUR, Mo – In November 2023, almost three dozen students in grades 6-8 and their teachers from Marian Middle School in St. Louis joined Missouri 4-H and Bayer professionals for a day camp focused on STEM and agriculture careers.
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Billions of cicadas bring buzzy magic to Missouri in 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Billions of cicadas will buzz this spring as two broods emerge at the same time. These broods last emerged together in 1803 and won’t appear together again for 221 years. That means that your grandchildren’s great-great-great grandchildren likely will be the next group to experience the dual emergence of these cicada broods that appear in 13- and 17-year life cycles, says University of Missouri Extension specialist…
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African violets help chase away winter blues
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Just in time to brighten the dull, dreary days of winter, the National Garden Bureau has named African violet as its houseplant of the year for 2024. The choice is an excellent one, says University of Missouri Extension state horticulture specialist David Trinklein. African violets thrive in most interior settings, provide nearly continuous color and are inexpensive.
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Prune oak trees this winter to avoid oak wilt
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The leaves are down, winter is upon us, and that means it’s prime time for pruning oak trees, which can be infected by the oak wilt fungus if they’re pruned during the high-risk period mid-March through mid-July.
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Research leads to potential increases in Missouri soybean yield
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri soybean yields have the potential to reach or exceed national averages, says University of Missouri Extension state soybean specialist Andre Reis. Nationally, soybean yields have grown at a pace of 0.4 bushel per acre per year over the past 80 years, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Illinois growers saw a 0.47 bushel per acre per yield upturn, while Iowa boasted a 0.48 bushel per…
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What to feed when there's nothing to feed
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many Missouri beef producers found themselves trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat as they rang in 2024 with low hay supplies, says University of Missouri Extension beef nutrition specialist Eric Bailey. Bailey says post-drought feeding woes leave producers challenged with “what to feed when there is no feed.”
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Be on guard for older soil-borne and look-alike soybean diseases
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers often struggled during the drought of 2023 to identify what was happening in their soybean as plants showed similar symptoms with different causes. University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish calls some of these causes doppelgangers, look-alikes that mimic other diseases with confusing similarities and perplexing differences. In addition, old soybean foes and emerging threats combined to create…
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Adult high school becomes a Recovery Friendly Workplace
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries Excel Center in Columbia is the first school in Missouri to become a Recovery Friendly Workplace. This designation recognizes employers that promote workplace cultures that reduce stigma and provide recovery resources to address the challenges surrounding substance use disorders.
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MU Show-Me-Select program had successful 2023
University of Missouri Extension’s Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program had a successful year in 2023 for both buyers and sellers, even with some impact on fall sales from drought. The fall 2023 sale season wrapped up with 928 Show-Me-Select heifers marketed through six sanctioned sale locations with gross sales of $2,544,825.
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A flood of support
ST. PETERS, Mo. – From flood-ravaged fields to productive gardens, University of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners in St. Charles County show how volunteers help communities flourish.
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5th year of Neighboring 101 features nationally known authors, leaders
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Neighboring 101 is not just for new homeowners or people new to community life. The ongoing program is for anyone wanting to improve their neighborhood or community as well as their personal life and health. Over 800 people across the United States are enrolled in this University of Missouri Extension class. Individuals who register can attend the monthly class via Zoom or access recordings of the previous classes.
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Protecting sheep in winter weather
OSCEOLA, Mo. – Sheep need extra protection in harsh winter weather. “The end goal for the producer is to ensure sheep and goats thrive through cold winter months,” said David Brown, University of Missouri Extension small-ruminant specialist.
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2023 was likely Earth's warmest year on record, Missouri's third
COLUMBIA, Mo. – September-November 2023 will go down on record as Earth’s warmest such period on record, a substantial leap – 0.70 F (0.39 C) – above the previous record from 2015, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The report uses historical climate data going back to 1850. NOAA says there is a 99% chance that 2023 will be the warmest year in 174 years of records.
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MU Extension helps young fisherman make a difference
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Thirteen-year-old Jack Murphy is out to make a difference in his Kansas City neighborhood. An avid fisherman and environmentalist, Murphy was just 10 when he began advocating to improve North Terrace Lake in Kansas City’s 1,800-acre Kessler Park. Three years later, his determination remains as fierce as ever. He wants the park cleaner and safer, for people and fish.
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Leaving the leaves saves pollinators, other beneficial insects
KINGSTON, Mo. – The “Leave the Leaves” movement could just as easily be called “Save the Pollinators,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist Manoj Chhetri.