The Monthly Monitor is a new report compiled by the University of Missouri’s Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center and Farm Journal that surveys economists nationwide on their projections of agricultural trends. Now, Scott Brown, director of the policy center, is forecasting a positive outlook for farm finances even as the weather has created significant challenges this past year in North America. more

After more than a year of waiting, researchers at the University of Missouri welcome the arrival of one of the nation’s first-of-its-kind electric, autonomous tractors. Known as the Monarch MK-V tractor, this revolutionary piece of technology will be studied for its ability to refine agricultural practices and support farmers with disabilities. more

Agricultural commodities that experienced peak prices in 2022 could see a backslide as 2023 is coming to end. Additionally, projects are showing this slowdown could last well into 2024.
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Cattle producers looking to rapidly improve the genetic progress of their herds will have a hands-on opportunity to learn how to artificially inseminate their cows. more

The Willow Springs second grade team of educators made up of Julia Kelley, Mark Gossard, Audrey Foster, Elizabeth Anderson and Jeannie Thompson has been awarded two $500 Missouri Farm Bureau mini-grants for this school year.  more

Lincoln John Kelley, West Plains, Missouri, is a new junior member of the American Angus Association®, reports Mark McCully, CEO of the national organization with headquarters in Saint Joseph, Missouri. more

Brucellosis is a disease, caused by the members of bacterial Brucella family, that mainly infects cattle, goats and sheep, leading to pregnancy loss, which has caused billions of dollars in economic losses for livestock producers worldwide. The disease can also jump from animals to humans, mainly through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products or inhaling the spores from the tissues of infected animals. more

The University of Missouri Extension will hold a free monthly webinar series for sheep and goat producers starting Sept. 26. The series will be hosted by David Brown, MU Extension small ruminant specialist, alongside other experts in small ruminant production. more

The University of Missouri Extension welcomes a new dairy specialist, Chloe Collins, who will serve the southwest Missouri region from her office in Mtn. Grove. more

The recent shift to milder temperatures is a pleasant reminder that it is time for gardeners to plant cool-season vegetables, said University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein. more

The Howell County office of the University of Missouri Extension, 1376 Bill Virdon Blvd. in West Plains, will host this year’s grazing school from Oct. 4 through 6. more

It may not be possible to squeeze blood from a turnip, but it’s easy to grow the nutritious vegetable. more

The Missouri Department of Agriculture announces changes to its online Hay Directory, at apps.mda.mo.gov/HayDirectory, where livestock producers can search for hay made available by other producers in Missouri and other states.  more

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has been allocated $8 million through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program to help strengthen the food supply chain between the farmer and consumer, officials announce. more

An in-person Beef Quality Assurance certification event will be provided by the Missouri Beef Industry Council (MBIC) and University of Missouri Extension at 5 p.m. Aug. 29 in the Howell County extension office, 1376 Bill Virdon Blvd. The office is located in the East Towne Village shopping center. more

Ranches across the Show-Me State manage roughly 2 million cattle — a significant number of which are Angus, a top-tier breed that has unrivaled success in the commercial beef market. more

This summer, global temperatures soared on July 4, reflecting one of the hottest days recorded on Earth, according to climate data from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Average global temperatures were approximately 63 degrees Fahrenheit — one of the warmest days in 125,000 years. more