Livestock

Congress ended mandatory labeling for pork and beef in 2015. Now, some livestock groups want to see labeling requirements included in the upcoming farm bill that would make it clear where livestock was born, raised and slaughtered.

Missouri applied for the grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture after two straight years of drought forced some livestock farmers to reduce their herd size because they did not have enough food or water.

Traditional farming practices such as tilling and monoculture — cultivating a single crop — have come under fire in recent years for their role in harming soil and exacerbating climate change.

Thousands of competitors come to the American Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City, Missouri, each year to show their best livestock. The competition includes children as young as 7 years old, who take part in a long tradition of raising and showing their animals.

The consensus of agricultural economists is that crop prices, especially for corn, soybeans and cotton, will go down this year. The cost of farming is also expected to go down but not as much.

The longhorned tick has only been in Missouri for a couple of years, but it is already spreading across the state and can carry a disease that can infect cattle. There are currently no known treatments or vaccines for the disease, and it could cost ranchers a lot of money.

Black vultures are a nuisance for Missouri livestock producers. The federally protected birds are preying on newborn livestock. The problem has increased as the black vulture population grew to roughly 21,000 in 2021.

Silvopasture is the practice of grazing livestock in a forested area instead of an open pasture. It’s a very old practice that might see new life.

Looking for ways to fund lobbying and legal efforts to preserve their way of business, pork producers are turning down guaranteed money that could go to advertising in hopes it will lead to voluntary donations of unrestricted funds.

Corn, soybeans, livestock, lumber and wines are all among the products the state is marketing to southeast Asian countries.