At last year’s Field Day at Graves-Chapple Research Center in Rock Port, Tim Reinbott, … Expand ▸At last year’s Field Day at Graves-Chapple Research Center in Rock Port, Tim Reinbott, superintendent of Bradford Research Center, speaks to the crowd about what do cover crops contribute to soil nutrient availability and fertility.

The main goal of any university is to educate, conduct research and improve the lives of others. Although the University of Missouri is commonly known for instruction at the campus in Columbia, the MU outreach goes beyond the classroom — it stretches to every corner of Missouri.

For more than a century MU Extension has provided workshops, assistance programs and connected to the people of the state.  The MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources’ Agricultural Research Centers also provide an abundance of educational opportunities that many Missourians can find right in their own backyard.

“This is a great opportunity to get the latest information from CAFNR researchers and local Extension faculty,” said Marc Linit, associate director of the MU Agricultural Experiment Stations.

The Agricultural Research Centers across the state routinely host Field Days as a chance for the public to learn more about ways to improve the

Brad Scharf, MU Post Doctoral Student, talks to the crowd about Thermal Aid. The new smart phone app … Expand ▸Brad Scharf, MU Post Doctoral Student, talks to the crowd about Thermal Aid. The new smart phone app from MU helps detect heat stress in livestock at the Wurdack Research Center Field Day last year.

product they produce or enhance the quality of their land. For cattle ranchers and row-crop farmers to vineyard owners and walnut growers, there is plenty to gain from attending a Field Day and research and Extension faculty will address your agricultural challenges and questions.

For cattle ranchers, visit the Forage Systems Research Center in northern Missouri to see the latest on nitrogen management and forage production. Head to the Ozark hills at Wurdack Research Center outside of Rolla to understand the benefits of switching pastures from toxic fescue to novel endophyte varieties.

MU has long been known for its Variety Testing Program that helps farmers pick out the best seed. Each year, thousands of varieties of corn, soybean, wheat and cotton are tested at several centers and dozens of additional plots with the results published annually. To get a hands-on look of the varieties stop by Graves-Chapple Research Center in Rock Port, Hundley-Whaley Research Center in Albany or Greenley Research Center near Kirksville.

Missouri’s impact on the wine industry has seen a tenacious resurgence in the last decade and MU researchers are there to help. With the help of the MU Wine and Grape Institute and vineyards at Southwest Research Center in Mt. Vernon, Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center near Boonville and South Farm Research Center in Columbia, grape growers are provided with a wealth of the latest information and research.

Cotton and rice are sometimes forgotten Show-Me State crops. But at the Fisher Delta Research Center in Portageville, research has been going on with these crops in the state’s southeastern Bootheel region for decades.

Back on the calendar this year is the Southwest Research Center Field Day on September 12. The center is known for its cattle research, walnut production studies, vineyard and even elderberry trials that will be shared at the Field Day.

New to this year’s lineup of Field Days will be Agriculture Tech Fair at Bradford Research Center in Columbia on July 17. The full-day event will feature the latest in agriculture technology and what the future has for the modern-day farm.

For more information about CAFNR’s Agricultural Research Centers, visit http://bit.ly/CAFNRcenters.

For high-resolution press-quality photos of previous Field Days, visit http://bit.ly/fieldays. To download images of CAFNR’s Agricultural Research Centers, visit http://bit.ly/arcenters.