Post Tag:
Feature
No-Till, No Problem
Graves-Chapple Research Center Demonstrates Benefits of No-Till Systems Landowners across Missouri use numerous tillage systems, including plow, chisel, disk or strip-till. Tillage is the preparation of soil for growing crops using equipment to mechanically agitate and mix the soil. Eliminating tillage is also an option—simply called no-till. The University of […]
Angling for a Turnaround
Driving along the grassy levees separating a half-dozen goldfish ponds in central Arkansas, Landon Pool points out the paths too dangerous to traverse by pickup truck. Pool, a 30-year-old fish farmer, is surveying the land he purchased last year, making note of the eroding earthen walls and the work it […]
Taking Different Track
Elizabeth Brooks wasn’t interested in opening the typical equestrian barn when she started the Springfield Riding Club in Rogersville, Mo. During her time traveling the globe as a professional horse trainer and riding instructor, she saw plenty of new possibilities. “At most barns, there’s one or two instructors who specialize […]
Dicamba Drama Continues
Drift concerns remain as dicamba-resistant seed sales are set to double The 2017 soybean harvest is likely to set a new record for total production, but for many farmers, the year was marred by the finger-pointing, lawsuits and acrimony associated with off-target movement of dicamba herbicide. The hotly debated weedkiller […]
Strategies for Managing Equipment Expenses
Razor-thin profit margins and depleted capital reserves have forced many farmers to re-evaluate the way they manage their machinery. Low prices for corn, soybeans and other commodities have producers looking to cut costs wherever possible. The belt tightening has prompted many farmers to forego replacing much of the farm equipment […]
Rural Opioid Epidemic
Survey Shows Massive Impact in Farm Country The results of a survey recently published by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) shows farmers and ranchers have been hit significantly harder by the opioid crisis than rural populations overall. While just under half of rural […]
Counting All Farmers
Census Tells the True Story About the State of U.S. Agriculture The 2017 Census of Agriculture, which provides detailed data covering nearly every facet of U.S. agriculture, is underway and millions of agricultural operators across the United States are encouraged to promptly complete the survey to fully demonstrate the value […]
Maintenance Matters
With limited funds designated for facility upkeep, universities around the country are facing a mounting backlog of maintenance needs, and farmers could soon feel the effect. The widespread problem of deferred maintenance has the potential to limit agriculture research findings, and ultimately halt future innovations the United States may make […]
The Dicamba Dilemma
No easy answer to herbicide controversy Uncertainty is swirling in the Midwest, where millions of acres of crops may have been damaged by a controversial herbicide. An estimated 3.1 million acres of soybeans have been affected by off-target movement of dicamba across the country, and that figure doesn’t include other […]
Winter is Coming
3 Tips for Propane Preparedness Fall is here and heating season is just around the corner. If you haven’t planned for your propane needs yet, now is the time. MFA Oil is committed to keeping your home, farm or commercial business adequately supplied with propane all winter long. The price […]
Pollinator Plots Enhance Pasture Biodiversity, Ecosystems Services
Fruit and vegetable farms, gardens and other agricultural sectors rely on pollinators to ensure abundant production, but wild pollinator populations are in decline, says Dirk Philipp, associate professor of animal science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The original prairies that covered much of the United States […]
A Smarter Way to Fuel
Thirty years ago, agricultural cooperative leaders from across the country gathered for a series of focus panels to discuss the future of farmer-owned cooperatives. The panelists’ discussions were summarized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the report “Positioning Farmer Cooperatives for the Future,” which concluded cooperatives must continually adapt […]