Markets & Ag
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The cyclamen is Cupid’s flowering love child. For centuries, people have associated cyclamens with matters of the heart, making it a perfect Valentine’s Day choice, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Cultivars of this flowering houseplant bear heart-shaped leaves. Their fragrant red, pink, white or bicolored flowers have petals that…
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MACOMB, Ill. — It’s the end of January, and yet I can feel the excitement of the approaching growing season. As the weather teases us with thoughts of the warmth to come with temperatures creeping into the 50s, it is important to note we still have more winter ahead. Even though we still have time…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Leasing instead of purchasing cows can be an effective financial strategy for cow-calf producers. A new publication by University of Missouri Extension specialists, “Introduction to Beef Cow Leases,” details how beef cow leases work. It is available for free download at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g434. Lack of capital is often a barrier for new producers…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension economist Ben Brown and others predict 2025 corn prices will drop below $4.50 per bushel. This is one of a series of articles by University of Missouri Extension specialists suggesting ways to reduce input costs in a year that many farmers may struggle to keep production costs below…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — As cold weather sets in, we often find ourselves retreating indoors where it is warm. However, our landscape plants can’t do this, and during times of extreme cold, like this recent cold snap, we may find ourselves wondering how our plants will fare. How do plants prepare for cold weather? As the…
Read Full Article LINNEUS, Mo. — Adding diversity to a pasture can make it more productive than growing tall fescue alone. Diversity can also aid in reducing or diluting the effects of fescue toxicity, improve nutritive value of forage, increase weight gain and enhance soil health, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts. One way…
Read Full Article ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension agronomist Wayne Flanary says 2025 likely will be a year when corn producers need to batten down the hatches to offset low sale prices and high input costs. MU Extension ag business economist Ben Brown and others predict that corn prices will fall below the $4.30 mark…
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SHELBINA, Mo. — Shelby County Extension will host a family-friendly event, Shelby County Ag Night, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at South Shelby R-IV School District. The event will offer 30-minute sessions on technology, livestock, crop science, economics and health and will offer a free meal provided by Exchange Bank of Northeast…
Read Full Article MONROE CITY, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension state beef nutritionist Eric Bailey says cattle producers should plan for drought by moving from a “brittle” management style to a flexible and resilient one. Bailey will share insights on how to diversify beef enterprises so that cattle can be moved off the farm during drought at…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri experts have released the Show-Me 2025 Missouri Agricultural Outlook, which shows a mixed outlook for Missouri’s crops and livestock and the challenges and opportunities ahead. The report is available at https://mizzou.us/MAO25. “While corn production is set to decline with rising prices, soybean production is expected to increase despite falling…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Soybean growers can’t rely on seed treatments alone to combat soybean cyst nematode (SCN), says University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Seed treatments can be a valuable part of a commercial soybean production system to protect against early-season diseases, says Bish, who also serves as director of MU’s nemadote…
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LORAINE, Ill. — The Loraine Lions Club announced its annual consignment auction will be held starting at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22. Tractors and vehicles will sell at noon. Auction services will be provided by Lowderman Auctioneers from Macomb. After taking 2023 off, the Loraine Lions Club brought the auction back for 2024. Many…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri specialists have developed online tools to help farmers estimate their potential payments from the American Relief Act, which was passed by Congress late last year. “Economic assistance payments to Missouri crop producers are expected to provide significant liquidity to the local farm sector,” said Alejandro Plastina, director of the…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Fungicides can be an essential part of an integrated pest management plan, but they do not always provide a positive return on investment for soybean producers, according to University of Missouri strip trial research. Missouri farmers apply fungicides to about 65% of soybean acres, says MU Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish,…
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The first few days of 2025 have been snowy, but we need snow to get into the ground and seal it to help protect the roots of various plants, trees, bushes and shrubs from the cold temperatures. Christmas has passed, but you can keep your poinsettia looking fresh for several more weeks and keep it…
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MILAN, Ill. — It is official, winter is upon us. The holiday season has come and gone, the calendar has turned over to a new year and much of the Midwest is blanketed in snow. On these long winter days, one of my favorite activities to do is to dream about warm summer days. I…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Improving fertility in cows involves leveraging genetic selection and advanced genomic tools to enhance reproductive performance. But genetic potential is only half the battle. Environment is the other half, said University of Missouri Extension state beef genetics specialist Jamie Courter at the recent Missouri Livestock Symposium in Kirksville. “Fertility is a lowly…
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LIBERTY, Ill. — The Adams County Beef Producers and Beef Auxiliary will hold its 49th annual meeting and banquet at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, at St. Brigid’s Hall in Liberty. The public is invited to attend. Reservations must be made by Jan. 19. Contact Adam Mowen at 217-430-4352 or Tyler Shaffer at 217-653-1621.…
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QUINCY — Within parks, streams and native prairies, University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists serve as environmental stewards in their communities. Illinois Extension is now opening registration for the next training slated for this spring. The course begins March 12. “Our west central Illinois Master Naturalist volunteers put in thousands of hours in 2024 supporting…
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann will discuss how sunn hemp can complement tall fescue in rotational grazing systems at the 41st annual Southwest Missouri Spring Forage Conference on Feb. 25 in Springfield. Originally grown as a fiber crop, this legume grows as tall as six feet and produces…
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MACOMB, Ill. — After a lovely winter break, I returned to the office with a stack of seed catalogs begging me to order more seeds. Despite having hundreds of seed packets, I find it hard to throw them away. Indeed, my seed collection is busting at the seams. Good thing they are relatively inexpensive. The…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension state crops entomologist Ivair Valmorbida expects that growers will see corn leafhoppers again in 2025. MU Extension faculty found corn leafhoppers in Missouri corn crops for the first time in 2024. Corn leafhoppers carry corn stunt disease, which can lead to 100% yield loss, says Valmorbida. MU Extension…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The McDonough County Community Foundation (MCCF) recently announced a $20,000 donation from the Macomb Agriscience Association (MAA) to support the Macomb agriculture program with the Macomb Agriscience Association Fund at Macomb Middle School. The MAA was created to support the agriculture program in Macomb schools. The Ag Program has grown to include…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), along with the University of Illinois Extension, is hosting certified livestock manager training (CLMT) workshops throughout the state. Two training options are being offered this year: seven in-person workshops and an online training, which will provide Illinois livestock producers the manure management training they need to…
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MARSHFIELD, Mo. — Cold weather has moved into Missouri quickly with no plans of leaving soon, according to forecasts. “It is officially winter in Missouri, and our cattle herds in southwest Missouri and beyond are feeling it,” Chloe Collins, University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist, said in a press release. “Whether you’re a pasture-based dairy…
Read Full Article March 24, 2025
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