JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Department of Agriculture reminds readers of the following:
Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award Applications Available
Missouri Farmers Care, a coalition of Missouri’s agricultural organizations and agribusinesses, is now accepting applications for the Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award. The newly developed award recognizes the high bar set in Missouri agriculture for the careful and responsible management of land, natural resources, and animals entrusted to the care of Missouri farmers and ranchers.
The Missouri Farmers Care Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award is presented in partnership with Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, and organizations across Missouri agriculture.
Private landowners manage 93 percent of Missouri land, with 27 million acres managed as farms and ranches. Missouri Farmers Care seeks award applicants who demonstrate the best innovation, stewardship, and diligence in land management decisions on their working farms and ranches.
With this award, Missouri agriculture continues the tradition of highlighting stewardship efforts of Missouri farmers. Missouri Farmers Care and partners collaborated to present deserving farm families the Missouri Leopold Conservation Award from 2017 to 2023. The Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award will continue the tradition with an award tailored to highlight the best of Missouri agricultural production practices.
The 2025 Missouri Agricultural Stewardship Award will be presented to a farm family at agricultural and natural resource conferences this winter. Recipients will be extended invitations throughout the year to speak on panels and present at conferences to share their experiences with fellow producers and host an on-farm tour that highlights their successful conservation and stewardship practices. Award recipients will receive a $5,000 honorarium.
Additional information is available at https://mofarmerscare.com/agstewardshipaward/. Active Missouri farmers and ranchers can submit applications online (preferred) or mailed to Missouri Farmers Care Foundation, 19171 State Highway 11, Kirksville, MO 63501. All applications must be submitted or postmarked by June 30, 2024.
Practical Advice from Farmers Webinar Series
Registration is open for Practical Advice from Successful Farmers, a free Zoom series featuring tips and best practices from successful farmers and Extension educators in Southwest Missouri.
Each session focuses on a specific crop and includes an on-farm video, followed by a question and answer time with the featured farmer or educator.
In addition, there will be a session on establishing a berry farm and a session focused on the business models of the three participating farms.
All sessions will run from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT. The sessions and featured farmers and educators are:
Tuesday, May 7, Sweet Potatoes with Curtis Millsap
Tuesday, May 14, Alliums with Curtis Millsap
Tuesday, May 21, Leafy Greens with Karen Scott
Tuesday, May 28, Tomatoes with Andre Gradinaru
Thursday, May 30, Berry Farm Establishment (blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, and high tunnel strawberries) with Patrick Byers, MU Extension, and Angela Brattin
Registered participants can pick and choose among sessions of interest.
The Series will be recorded and will be posted, along with other shorter crop videos, at http://www.webbcityfarmersmarket.com/training in June.
For more information about the Series, contact Eileen Nichols at (417) 483-8139 or eileennichols@sbcglobal.net.
The Series is sponsored by the Webb City Farmers Market, University of Missouri Extension, and Lincoln University Cooperative Extension, and is underwritten by funding from the Missouri Department of Agriculture using a Specialty Crop Block Grant.
USDA Actions to Protect Livestock from HPAI
To further protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, USDA has shared a number of actions they are taking to get ahead of this disease and limit its spread.
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) put into effect a Federal Order requiring the following measures Monday, April 29, 2024:
Mandatory Testing for Interstate Movement of Dairy Cattle
Prior to interstate movement, dairy cattle are required to receive a negative test for Influenza A virus at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory.
Owners of herds in which dairy cattle test positive for interstate movement will be required to provide epidemiological information, including animal movement tracing.
Dairy cattle moving interstate must adhere to conditions specified by APHIS.
As will be described in forthcoming guidance, these steps will be immediately required for lactating dairy cattle, while these requirements for other classes of dairy cattle will be based on scientific factors concerning the virus and its evolving risk profile.
Mandatory Reporting
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive Influenza A nucleic acid detection diagnostic results (e.g. PCR or genetic sequencing) in livestock to USDA APHIS.
Laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive Influenza A serology diagnostic results in livestock to USDA APHIS.