Dora School District has engaged in a program that allows Missouri beef producers to share their way of life and give back to the communities they serve, officials announce. more

Gov. Mike Parson has proclaimed October as Pork Month in the state of Missouri, in recognition of the high-quality pork produced by Missouri pig farmers and their families. Missouri’s pork industry ranks seventh in the nation with 3.35 million head, producing more than 6% of the U.S. total, and providing nearly $1.4 billion in value, his office said. more

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

Black Walnuts will be falling soon all over the area, and once again, the harvesting tradition continues, with Hammons Products Company providing a market to buy the wild nuts that people bring in. more

United States net farm income in 2024 was $137 billion, falling slightly below the U.S. Department of Agriculture's September forecast and $9 billion lower than the 2023 figure, according to the latest update of the annual U.S. farm income and consumer food price report by The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri. Further declines in income are projected in 2025 as some moderation in production expenses and high cattle prices are not enough to offset the impact of lower crop prices. more

The University of Missouri Extension offices in Wright and Howell counties will offer workshops for livestock producers to prepare for winter feeding. more

In a 2024 study of agricultural youth (Rudolphi JM, Berg RL. Stress, Mental Health, and Risk-Taking: Associations among a Sample of Agricultural Adolescents. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 June), it was found that about 70% of the youth surveyed had at least mild symptoms of depression, while 63% had anxiety symptoms. more

In the Ozark Mountains and plateau, south central Missouri farmers are known as livestock production professionals. Dusty Collins has made his own path as an expert at growing the forages and grains to feed the region’s livestock. He grows corn, soybeans, corn silage and winter grain near West Plains in Agri-Ready Designated Howell County. more

The Missouri Pork Association is now accepting applications for its 2025 Internship Program. Up to two college students will be selected for the summer period and work full time in the Columbia office from mid-May through mid-August. An additional part time internship is available from January through mid-May, and another part-time internship from mid-August through December, said association officials. more

Missouri Farm Bureau (MOFB) has awarded its 2024 Friends of Agriculture award to 87 members of the Missouri House of Representatives, including six representing south central Missouri. The award has been given to Missouri state representatives every two years since 1996. more

Officials with the Ozarks Heritage Research Center (OHRC) at Missouri State University-West Plains will host a presentation about beekeeping at 6 p.m. Sept. 10, at the OHRC. more

The Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Annual Dinner, this year held on August 17, is a celebration of Missouri’s prairie legacy. During the 2024 event, the 58-year-old prairie conservation organization and land trust paid tribute to three awardees, including a Texas County couple. more

The Texas County office of the University of Missouri Extension will host an invasive plant workshop and field day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 27 at the extension office, 114 W. Main St. in Houston. more

The Howell County office of the University of Missouri Extension in West Plains is partnering with the Missouri Department of Conservation to hold a free nuisance wildlife management class from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 29 at the extension office, 1376 Bill Virdon Blvd. in West Plains. more

Ozark County has been granted Agri-Ready County Designation by Missouri Farmers Care (MFC), a coalition of more than 40 leading agricultural groups and businesses. The county’s recognition rounds out the south-central region comprised of likewise dedicated neighbors Howell, Douglas, Oregon, Texas, Shannon and Wright counties. more

On Sept. 13, the University of Missouri Extension in Howell County will offer an opportunity to tour fields of big bluestem, little bluestem and Indian grasses at the Uminn Farm. more

An abundance of flies in cow herds is being reported to University of Missouri Extension specialists this summer, increasing the likelihood of cattle health issues, including pinkeye. more

Missouri Farm Bureau is accepting applications for the 2025 Farm Dog of the Year contest, supported by Nestlé Purina PetCare. more

Three area organizations have been awarded grant funds through the Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Care Facilities Act for spaying and neutering. more

Battling Japanese beetles in the garden more