Stories

Oct. 1, 2021

CAFNR Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Eduardo Segarra – MS, ’82 Agricultural Economics Agricultural Economist, Professor Segarra worked with his family’s construction business in Monterrey, Mexico, while earning a BS in economics. He then learned English in four months so he could come to Mizzou for a MS in ag econ. For the last 30+ years, he has been a professor of ag econ at Texas Tech University. During his time at TTU, Segarra served as the first Latino department chair, as well as the first Latino president of Southern Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA) and the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Foundation. Mily Treviño Executive…

Sep. 30, 2021

Q&A with Ben Brown

What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri? Ben Brown is a senior research associate focusing on agricultural risk management. I have a split appointment between MU Extension and FAPRI. My topic areas include agricultural risk management – markets, policy and finance. Currently, I’m wrapping up a project on land rental rates for Missouri’s crop, pasture and timberland. I also have projects that look at how increased precipitation impacts local basis for Midwest crop prices and a project that examines improving onboarding and training for service professionals in the areas of farm management and agronomy. In addition, I’m working on an international agri-benchmark project where I study production…

Sep. 29, 2021

Wurdack Research Center to Host Field Day

The Wurdack Research Center will host an in-person field day on Friday, Oct. 8. The event is free and open to the public, with a lunch at noon sponsored by FCNB Bank. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with tours starting at 9 a.m. “We are so appreciative of their support that helps us continue to provide a free event for local producers,” said Dusty Walter, superintendent of the Wurdack Research Center. Ashley Conway, assistant research professor in the Center for Agroforestry will speak about using shade to enhance herd productivity. Eric Meusch, field specialist in livestock will talk about…

Sep. 29, 2021

FAPRI Releases U.S. Baseline Outlook Report Update

Strong demand from China, smaller supplies and other factors have resulted in higher prices for many agricultural commodities. Projected prices for corn, soybeans, hogs and several other commodities moderate in the years ahead, while cattle prices increase. Economists from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) team release the annual U.S. Baseline Outlook report each spring, and provide an update to that report each fall. This year’s update was prepared beginning the week of Aug. 23. This report is based on information available in mid-August 2021 which updates the 2021 FAPRI baseline outlook prepared earlier this year.

Sep. 28, 2021

Q&A With Caitlyn Allen

Why did you decide to come to the University of Missouri and major in parks, recreation and sport? What do you enjoy about the program itself? The field of study? My decision to come to Mizzou was originally because of the journalism school. However, shortly into my freshman year I decided to look into CAFNR’s sport management program to supplement my journalism degree. After taking a couple of classes in the sport management program, I knew this was where I belonged. What I love most about this program is how intent the courses are in teaching you to go out…

Sep. 28, 2021

Taking a Chance

As a freshman, Mason Ward took a chance and applied to the Freshman Research in Plants (FRIPS) Program with the thought that he would give research a try. Ward wasn’t sure if research would be a major part of his collegiate career, but figured by pushing himself he would certainly learn something new. Now, three years later, Ward’s extraordinary research portfolio has earned him two undergraduate research awards from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Ward earned the Undergraduate Student Achievement in Entomology award from the Plant-Insect Ecosystem (P-IE) section of the ESA, as well as the…

Sep. 28, 2021

Feeling Right at Home

Growing up in a town of less than 300 people, Elizabeth Gunter’s graduating class at DeKalb High School consisted of just 15 students. Coming to the University of Missouri, with enrollment above 30,000 students, was a big change of pace. The MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) made that change much easier. “It was definitely a little intimidating being in a lecture hall with more people in it than my entire town,” Gunter said. “However, through CAFNR I was able to meet so many students who had that same rural background who felt the same way. Having…

Sep. 28, 2021

An Opportunity to Share Missouri Agriculture

When Samantha Turner first declared an agricultural education major within the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), she was focused on educating future generations of agriculturists as a high school teacher. Once Turner got into the program and got more involved, she knew that agricultural education was the right path. However, she realized that instead of communicating agriculture to only high school students, she wanted to share that knowledge with individuals throughout Missouri outside of the classroom. After multiple internships and professional work experiences related to agriculture communications – and numerous leadership opportunities within CAFNR…

Sep. 27, 2021

Seeds of Change

Humberto Castro BS Ag ’50, MS ’59 is not one to normally boast about himself. Even with all of his both business-related and personal successes and accomplishments achieved in the more than nine decades of his life, Humberto prefers to not have the limelight pointed at him. Instead, the man who is still very active at 98 years old, normally lets his actions do the talking. “So we’ll do it for him,” says his oldest son, Leslie Castro. Talk to his family members and they will tell you of a Peru native who first came to the United States in…

Sep. 24, 2021

Q&A with Kendra Graham

What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri? Kendra speaks at Pearls of Production Women in Agriculture. In my role, I provide Missourians with unbiased, research-based information about livestock. I also help producers understand how they can then take that information and apply it specifically to their operation.    MU Extension programs I am involved in as a livestock specialist include Pearls of Production Women in Agriculture, Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer, youth livestock education, and managing forages and livestock. How long have you worked in this position?  I…