Markets & Ag
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will hold a free online class on produce safety for gardeners from 6-8 p.m. on Jan. 26. MU Extension horticulturists Patrick Byers and Justin Keay will offer tips on growing, harvesting, processing and storing produce safely. Participants will learn best practices to reduce the risk of foodborne illness from…
Read Full Article URBANA, Ill. — For 46 years, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners have measured success by gardens planted, insects identified, produce harvested, and the millions of hours volunteers have logged by helping others learn to grow. From farms and small-town to suburbs and the inner city, more than 2,600 volunteers statewide put their mission of “helping others…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Poinsettia is America’s most popular flowering plant, with annual sales approaching $200 million. Despite its close association with the Christmas season, however, it’s a relative newcomer as holiday home decor, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. In the early 1800s, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Joel R. Poinsett, learned of…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri agricultural lenders are invited to seminars hosted by University of Missouri Extension agricultural business and policy specialists. Each year, leading economists and ag business and policy specialists from MU Extension, Missouri Department of Agriculture and the MU Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute provide updates for agricultural lenders. Topics include market…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers understand fertilizer prices fluctuate with time. “We are living through a substantial shift in potassium and phosphorus prices, from low prices in the 2020 growing season to the highest prices in the past decade for fertilizer purchased now for the 2022 growing season,” says John Lory, University of Missouri Extension nutrient…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — Some gardeners take a hands-off approach to leaves. But leaves left on lawns can pack down into a tight mat, preventing sunlight from reaching the grass, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Leaves also trap and hold moisture, which increases the potential for disease. However, tree leaves can be a…
Read Full Article MACOMB, Ill. — You’ve likely heard of hazelnuts, perhaps even used them in some delightful dessert or savory dishes and garnishes. If you give my children a choice between peanut butter or a chocolaty hazelnut spread, the peanut butter jar remains unopened. About 40 percent of global hazelnut production goes into making one product –…
Read Full Article A major donor to the University of Illinois wondered what the heck was up. Robb Fraley, a top Monsanto executive at the time, emailed the dean of the agriculture college in 2018 complaining about a professor saying publicly that one of his company’s flagship products was causing widespread damage to crops. Monsanto was also a…
Read Full Article JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Once you’ve picked the last of your fruits this season, you may think your work with your fruit plants is over until spring. However, a few tasks can be done in the fall to set yourself up for a successful growing season next year. Tree Fruit One of the most important things…
Read Full Article Applications for funds are due November 29th SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) plans to award more than $783,000 in Specialty Crop Block grants over a three-year period under federal House Resolution 133 (H.R. 133 Stimulus Funding). The additional funds are available in response to the impact of COVID-19 on the food system,…
Read Full Article