The following publications cover topics related to Agricultural Business and Policy Extension. For a complete list of MU Extension publications, visit the main Publications page.
Days Suitable for Fieldwork in Missouri
Revised
Learn the number of days Missouri farms have available per week—due to weather and soil conditions—for tillage, planting, chemical application and harvest activities.
Missouri Farm Labor Guide
Revised
Learn good human resource practices related to employee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training and termination that your farm or agribusiness can use.
Missouri Farm Tax Record: Part 1, Cash Paid-Cash Received
Reviewed $10
Farmers can use this simple Missouri farm tax recordkeeping system if they track yearly income and expenses for their agricultural operations on a cash basis.
Distributed Energy Resources: A Primer for Missouri Farmers
New
Major changes are occurring in how electricity is generated, distributed and used. Learn about this transition from centralized energy generation towards distributed energy generation and the potential impacts it will have for rural landowners.
Solving Wildlife Damage Problems in Missouri
Reviewed
Learn 10 methods that can prevent or reduce damage that wildlife can cause on your property, and see the components of a wildlife damage management program.
Pesticide Laws and Regulations
Revised
Learn about federal and Missouri pesticide rules, and see the steps to take to become a pesticide applicator and keep good records of when you use pesticides.
Starting and Operating a Farmers Market: Frequently Asked Questions
Revised
Learn what makes a farmers market successful and feasible. Get tips about how to start or improve a market to make local food available in your community.
Worker Protection Standard Overview
Revised
Read about how the EPA’s Worker Protection Standard applies to agricultural pesticide use and what you as a farm employer must do to comply with the standard.
An Employer’s Guide to Worker Protection Standard Compliance
Revised
Learn terms used in EPA’s Worker Protection Standard, and read about duties the standard outlines for agricultural employers, workers and pesticide handlers.
Weather-Related Sales of Livestock
Revised
Find out whether federal tax law allows farms to defer income earned after selling animals because of drought, flood or related weather conditions.
Agricultural Owners, Family Labor and the Worker Protection Standard
Revised
Find out what the EPA’s Worker Protection Standard requires of family-owned agricultural establishments to keep your family safe from pesticide exposure.
An Introduction to Basis
Revised
Discover how agricultural commodity basis applies to crops and livestock and affects your farm's production, forward pricing, hedging and storage decisions.
Selecting an Appropriate Pricing Strategy
Revised
Learn how to price a product based on your cost and profit objectives, demand and competition. See five strategies used to price value-added agricultural products.
Safe Tractor Operation
Revised
The purpose of this guide is to assist employers and employees in training for safe tractor operation. Farm employers should review this guide with anyone who operates a farm tractor.
Selling Strategies for Local Food Producers
Revised
Learn how farms can market local food directly to consumers by building relationships with buyers, discovering customer needs, providing quality service.
Agriculture and the Occupational Safety and Health Act
Revised
Missouri farms and ranches must have a safety and health program that complies with OSHA rules, regulations and standards if they have employees. Read this FAQ for details.
Introduction to Hedging Agricultural Commodities With Options
Revised
Hedging in the commodity options exchange markets can reduce farmers' price and production risk. Learn how to better evaluate hedging opportunities in this guide.
Missouri 3,500-Cow Dairy Business Plan
New
With this plan, think through how to start a dairy using confinement housing: freestalls with sand bedding and tunnel ventilation to improve cow comfort and cooling.
Missouri 400-Cow Dairy and 690-Cow Dairy Business Plans
New
Use these Missouri dairy plans to improve cow comfort and cooling and remove milk production barriers in 400 or 690 herd sizes.
Verbal Farm Rental Agreements Under Missouri Law
Revised
Learn about the problems and risks associated with informal verbal farm leases, and see the minimum requirements to include in a basic written lease.
Missouri Robotic Dairy Business Plans
New
View these plans to learn how to use labor-saving robotic milking systems and confinement housing to improve cow comfort and remove barriers for producing more milk.
Purchasing and Leasing Farm Equipment
Reviewed
Deciding between buying or leasing farm equipment? Learn about purchase plans, rental agreements, lease agreements, tax and financial considerations and more.
Industrial Hemp for Grain Planning Budget
Revised
Use this industrial hemp planning budget to make educated economic, agronomic and machinery decisions before planting hemp to harvest for grain in Missouri.
Industrial Hemp for CBD Planning Budget
Revised
Missouri farmers growing industrial hemp for cannabidiol (CBD), use the planning budget and info in this guide to make educated economic, agronomic and machinery decisions before planting.
Starting a 600-Cow Intensive Rotational Grazing Dairy
Revised
Examine financial feasibility of starting a 600-cow intensive rotational grazing Missouri dairy using capital investment assumptions, budget and income and cash flow statements.