July 05, 2016

Producers encouraged to attend sessions, offer input to address current challenges in the farm economy

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. –The Missouri Department of Agriculture and University of Missouri Extension will offer a series of listening sessions in July that will address current challenges in the farm economy. Sessions will take place in seven locations across the state.   

“Life as a farmer is never boring, that we know for certain,” Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce said. “Although I continue to believe that the future of agriculture is incredibly bright, we face challenges of different types and different magnitudes each year and 2016 is no exception. Lower commodity prices combined with input costs that haven’t reacted to the market yet have the potential to put some Missouri producers in a tough position.”

Dr. Scott Brown, MU Assistant Extension Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics, will provide an overview of current and projected financial issues facing Missouri agriculture at each session. Attendees will then be afforded the chance to share any issues they see facing the agricultural sector, such as thoughts about credit, profitability, commodity prices and equity loss.

Similar sessions are being hosted by departments of agriculture in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. After feedback is gathered, representatives from the four states will gather together to share findings and identify available resources and farm programs. These needs will also be communicated to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack. 

Registration is free and recommended. For more information, please call the contact listed below.

 

Mexico

July 7, 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.   

Audrain County 4-H Center, 21509 Hwy D, Mexico                                  

Mary Sobba (573) 581–3231, Karisha Devlin (660) 397–2179 

Rock Port

July 7, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.    

MU Extension Center in Atchison County, 201 Hwy 136 East, Rock Port            

Randa Doty (660) 582–8101                                                             

Excelsior Springs

July 8, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 

Flander Hall-107 W Broadway, Excelsior Springs                             

Nate Cahill (660) 747–3193                                                            

Springfield

July 11, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.    

Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, 6821 W Independence Dr, Springfield 

Wesley Tucker (417) 326–4916                                                            

Miner 

July 12, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.   

Miner Convention Center, 2610 E. Malone Ave., Miner                                       

David Reinbott (573) 545–3516                                                            

St. Peters

July 13, 6:30pm – 9:00pm          

MU Extension Center in St. Charles County, 260 Brown Rd., St. Peters         

Ken Bolte (636) 583–5141, Rachael Hopkins (573) 438–2671

Kirksville

July 14, 9:30am – 12:00pm         

MO Dept. of Conservation Reg. Office, 3500 S. Baltimore, Kirksville                  

Darla Campbell (660) 457–3469, Joe Koenen (660) 947–2705

 

Additional information about the Missouri Department of Agriculture can be found at Agriculture.MO.Gov.

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