COLUMBIA, Mo. – During the summer, farm management involves a lot of day-to-day decisions. Use these news and notes from University of Missouri Extension as you and your team keep farm work on course.
Review crop insurance policies before replanting
Excess moisture, cold snaps and pest pressure early in the season can all result in a dissatisfying crop stand and lower yields at harvest. Replanting later than normal can also reduce yields.
When deciding whether to replant, consider your crop insurance policy’s replant provisions, says MU Extension agricultural economist Ray Massey. Policies may pay eight times the insurance price election for replanting corn and three times the price election for replanting soybeans.
Several factors affect how insurance will operate in a replanting situation, so discuss these considerations with your crop insurance provider.
MU Extension has published a guide to making replant decisions. Find it at muext.us/CropReplant.
Use incentive pay to reward your farm’s employees
By making incentive pay available to your employees, you can compensate workers for their role in helping you achieve the farm’s goals.
MU Extension agricultural economist Ryan Milhollin says an incentive pay system may encourage employees to stay with your farm operation — a particularly important priority given today’s tight labor market.
Incentives include bonuses, profit-sharing and stock ownership. Choose incentives that seek to maximize employee productivity and your farm’s profitability. If you do implement incentive pay, monitor your system periodically to make sure it does improve overall business performance.
For more information about adding incentive pay to your farm labor management plan, download the Missouri Farm Labor Guide at muext.us/FarmLaborGuide.
Explore local food market opportunities with Missouri Ag Intel
With the growing season underway, Missourians are looking for fresh produce and value-added agricultural items. Producers can find local markets for their products with the Missouri Ag Intel Food Market Evaluation Tool.
Developed by a team at the University of Missouri, the tool summarizes the population, potential markets and competitors near a point you select on a map. Mallory Rahe, an MU assistant extension professor, says you can use this information for ideas on where to sell your food and agricultural products.
To create a market report, go to agintel.missouri.edu and click on “Food Market Evaluation Tool.”
Celebrate Missouri dairies during National Ice Cream Month
July is National Ice Cream Month. The ice cream cone is enshrined in state statute as Missouri’s official dessert. Take time to enjoy an ice cream cone, sundae, milkshake or other frozen dairy treat to recognize Missouri dairies’ hard work.
On Missouri’s 322 Grade A dairies, farmers care for more than 65,000 cows that produce milk for drinking or dairy foods you like to eat, says MU Extension agricultural economist Joe Horner. When milk leaves Missouri dairy farms, most of it is processed in plants owned by the dairy farmers through their dairy cooperatives.
Learn more about Missouri’s dairy farms at muext.us/DairySnapshot.
— MU Extension
