Image
His time to lead
COLUMBIA, Mo. – For Mike Kateman, selling his grand champion reserve calf, Boots, was a great life lesson, and joining 4-H was just an expectation.“You really learn to be competitive, but to be competitive with yourself in terms of ‘how can I continually do better?’” he said.Growing up in Cooper County, Kateman was a member of the Willing Workers 4-H Club in Blackwater, Missouri. He now serves as assistant vice chancellor for…
Image
Chadwick Higgins is MU Extension's new associate vice chancellor
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Chadwick C. Higgins is the University of Missouri’s new associate vice chancellor for extension and engagement, effective Aug. 17. Higgins continues MU Extension and Engagement’s work to develop innovative, relevant programming and partnerships to solve Missouri’s grand challenges related to the economy, education and health. His appointment follows an extensive national search and interview process.
Image
New dairy podcast takes research to the barn
MONETT, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist Reagan Bluel is a self-proclaimed “science geek.” She likes pawing through the latest science journals to keep on the cutting edge of dairy research that could improve the bottom line of Missouri dairy producers.
Image
Corn ears tell us what went right, what went wrong
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It sounds corny, but if we use our ears, corn ears will tell us why yields are down, says University of Missouri Extension state agronomist Bill Wiebold. Corn ears tell and show us what went wrong during pollination and fertilization, the most critical time of yield establishment. The ear takes us on amazing journey of its hard work to make kernels for high yields and profits.
Missouri 4-H receives funding to prepare youths for STEM workforce
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri 4-H has received funding through the Union Pacific Foundation Local Grants program to support programming to raise awareness, educate and prepare youths for jobs in STEM fields. “The Missouri 4-H Career Exploration program will give rural youth opportunities that could develop into family-supporting jobs like those Union Pacific offers,” said Amanda Meek, University of Missouri Extension state specialist in…
Image
Saline County 4-H'ers do a quick pivot to attend county fair
SALINE COUNTY, Mo. – Saline County 4-H’er Audrey Tinoco was all set to compete in the fashion revue, demonstrations, building exhibits and poultry events this summer at the Saline County Fair. Then a family member tested positive for COVID-19, and their 14-day quarantine dashed plans to compete.
Image
Keeping camp alive
COLUMBIA, Mo. – With in-person summer camps canceled due to COVID-19, Missouri 4-H went to work creating new opportunities for youths to make as many summer memories as possible.
Image
Master Gardener duo donates to local food pantries
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Those who have planted gardens feel that they have “done something for the good of the whole world,” wrote American author Charles Dudley Warner in 1871.
Begin stockpiling fescue mid-August
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Start stockpiling fescue mid-August for healthier and more profitable cattle, says University of Missouri Extension forage specialist Craig Roberts.Stockpiling fescue saves time and money by reducing the need to feed hay.
Happy, Mad, Sad, Glad: Helping Children Identify their Emotions
As summer comes to an end and plans for the school year unfold the children in your life might feel a wide range of emotions. It is our role as adults to help children identify those emotions. We can also model to children how to appropriately express our feelings. Children deal with many of the same emotions adult do.
Image
Scout for two emerging corn diseases in Midwest
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri corn growers should scout for two emerging corn diseases: bacterial leaf streak (BLS) and tar spot, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette. These diseases appeared for the first time in Missouri in 2019. They have caused severe economic losses in surrounding states. Bissonnette offers facts and tips for growers to monitor their spread. Bacterial leaf streak
Report mystery seeds to the Missouri Department of Agriculture
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Officials urge residents to report unsolicited packages of seeds delivered from foreign countries. Unknown seeds could introduce noxious weeds, pests, diseases and viruses.
Image
Tigers for Troops: Helping rural veterans navigate the VA benefits system
SALEM, Mo. – Understanding and applying for veterans services can be a challenge, and help can be hard to come by, especially in rural communities. Tigers for Troops, a partnership of University of Missouri Extension and the MU School of Law Veterans Clinic, connects veterans to vital resources through one-on-one consultations by videoconference. It is funded through a grant from the Missouri Housing Development Commission.
Drought increases risk of forage poisoning
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought increases the chance of nitrate poisoning and prussic acid poisoning. High concentrations in plants and water can harm or even kill animals. High nitrate, mostly concentrated in grass stems, causes quick death, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Jill Scheidt. Nitrate in the blood blocks oxygen uptake. Without oxygen, cows die quickly.
UM System Health Care Finder: Helping to identify and solve local health care needs
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The new University of Missouri System Health Care Finder aims to increase Missourians’ access to health care and boost the state’s health care outcomes.
Image
MU Extension: Do not plant seeds you did not order
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension horticulturists are asking the public to report unsolicited seed deliveries. MU Extension horticulturist Robert Balek notes that there have been reports from around the country of people receiving small padded envelopes of seed that they did not order. The seeds appear to originate from China.
Image
MU Extension pilots beef record-keeping project
ALBANY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension began a three-year project in March to help beef producers improve whole-herd record-keeping.
Pasture flies thriving in hot, humid weather
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension dairy veterinarian Scott Poock says three types of flies cause economic damage and discomfort in cattle.Typically appearing in spring, horn flies, face flies and stable flies carried over to summer this year due to hot, humid weather.“The warmer it is, the faster the fly goes through its life cycle,” Poock says. “In a given summer, several generations can turn over as they multiply.”
Missourians encouraged to submit drought reports
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The public is invited to submit information to help local, state and national decision-makers assess drought conditions and impacts in Missouri.
Gardening hotline open for business in Christian county
Can’t identify that pesky insect eating your zucchini plant? How do I start a compost pile? What’s the easiest fruit to grow in the Ozarks? Christian County Master Gardeners have the answers for callers to its gardening hotline at the county Extension office on the Ozark Square.
Image
Youths compete in 2020 State 4-H Sportfishing Event
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Almost 100 youths participated in the 2020 State 4-H Sportfishing Event, held virtually in June. Missouri 4-H’ers practiced their angling skills at local public fishing areas in a derby to catch the largest fish. They also tested their knowledge of species and tackle identification, aquatic ecosystems, and fish anatomy in the sportfishing “skill-a-thon,” said Maria Calvert, University of Missouri Extension state 4-H…
Competing from your coop: 2020 State 4-H Poultry Day
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Almost 90 Missouri 4-H’ers participated in a poultry judging contest, knowledge exam and photography contest at the 2020 State 4-H Poultry Day, hosted virtually in June. 4-H members gained skills in grading eggs and poultry carcasses, identifying poultry cuts, and judging live birds, said Maria Calvert, University of Missouri Extension state 4-H agriculture and natural resource science educator.
Statewide partnership to strengthen training and support for community health workers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Financial insecurity, housing conditions and other social factors can have a significant impact on health. Community health workers (CHWs)—front-line public health workers who are trusted members of the communities they serve—are positioned to address social determinants of health on a case-by-case basis.
Tips on watering your garden
COLUMBIA, Mo. – How does your garden grow? No grow or slow grow? It could be your H2O. How and when you water your garden often makes the difference between healthy or diseased plants, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tom Fowler. Fowler offers some simple watering tips that can provide a bushel of benefits.
Image
Roots of resilience run deep in 4-H and agriculture: a reflection
Resilience. The agriculture industry is all too familiar with this word. When I stop and think about what resilience means to me, I am taken back to my childhood when my grandparents would share stories of what it was like for them growing up during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. I found it unimaginable when my grandpa shared how they had to tie ropes from the house to the barns so that they could find their way to do chores.