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Atlantic Hurricane Season Sets Record for Late First Hurricane
By Jason Vance The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has reached and passed the traditional peak of hurricane activity, yet the Atlantic basin remains unusually quiet. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey said the season has already set…
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Cold-Weather Calving Tips
Late-fall and early-winter calving can expose cows and newborn calves to cold temperatures, wind, moisture and rapidly changing weather. A healthy calf can lose body heat quickly after birth, especially if its coat remains wet…
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How to tell bees, hornets and wasps apart
Metro Creative People who spend any measurable amount of time outdoors likely have crossed paths with various flying insects that cohabitate in a typical yard. Some of the most ardent pollinators and pest control agents…
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Heat, drought slow insect activity across Midwest
By Jason Vance As September begins, crop producers across the Midwest are watching how persistent heat and dry conditions are affecting insect activity. K-State crop entomologist Jeff Whitworth said while hot weather can increase insect…
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Beyond the Harvest
Volatile commodity prices, rising equipment costs and increasing input expenses are creating financial challenges for many agricultural producers. For some farmers, especially those with marginal land or acreage near electrical transmission infrastructure, leasing land for…
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USDA Forecasts Mixed Farm Income Picture for 2026
By Jason Vance USDA’s latest farm income forecast points to a mixed financial picture for U.S. agriculture in 2026, with modest gains in some areas offset by higher expenses and lower overall farm income. Carrie…
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Harvest Season Brings Farm Equipment and Safety Concerns to Missouri Roads
By Angie Hutschreider As harvest season gets underway across northern Missouri, farmers are spending long hours moving combines, tractors, grain carts and other equipment between fields and farms — and motorists are being reminded to…
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Property rights cases offer lessons for farmers and landowners
Farm property rights can be a complicated issue. Photo by Jason VanceBy Jason Vance Property rights can become complicated when farmland is held through corporations or trusts, easements cross agricultural property, or government rules affecting…
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Fighting Farmland Fatigue
For generations, America’s farmers have relied on their land to produce crops, feed livestock and support rural communities. But decades of intensive farming can take a toll. Repeated tillage, erosion, nutrient depletion and soil compaction…
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USDA Sees Second-Largest Corn Crop, Record Soybean Production
By Jason Vance USDA’s September Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports offer a mixed picture for U.S. agriculture, with corn production trimmed because of lower yields while soybean production is projected…
