Stories

A background in agriculture, a degree in animal sciences from the University of Missouri and an entrepreneurial passion helped Elaine Martin launch Blue Cedar Beef in 2019. Blue Cedar Beef is a family owned and operated farm, where Elaine and her husband, Brendan, raise black Angus cattle. Photo courtesy of Elaine Martin.

April 27, 2021

An Entrepreneurial Passion

A background in agriculture, a degree in animal sciences from the University of Missouri and an entrepreneurial passion helped Elaine Martin launch Blue Cedar Beef in 2019. Martin and her husband, Brendan, saw a problem in their local community – and came up with a solution. “We had been selling halves and whole beeves to family, neighbors and friends for several years but kept getting requests for smaller quantities of beef,” Elaine said. “I combined that idea with the fact that you can get nearly anything today shipped to your doorstep. Why not get quality beef shipped to your doorstep…
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded nearly $11 million in funding for grants related to enhancing animal reproduction, and improving the welfare and well-being of agriculture animals. Researchers in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Division of Animal Sciences earned three of the 15 grants related to enhancing animal reproduction. MU was awarded just more than $1 million of the $6.72 million total investment in animal reproduction.

April 27, 2021

Enhancing Animal Reproduction

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded nearly $11 million in funding for grants related to enhancing animal reproduction, and improving the welfare and well-being of agriculture animals. Researchers in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Division of Animal Sciences earned three of the 15 grants related to enhancing animal reproduction. MU was awarded just more than $1 million of the $6.72 million total investment in animal reproduction. “Our researchers in the Division of Animal Sciences continue to make great strides related to animal reproduction…
The inaugural University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Research Day will not only showcase the variety of research conducted within the College, the event will share insights about grants and programs for faculty, staff and students. CAFNR Research Day will be held Friday, May 7, and will be completely virtual. Registration is required for the event.

April 21, 2021

Sharing Insights and Opportunities

The inaugural University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Research Day will not only showcase the variety of research conducted within the College, the event will share insights about grants and programs for faculty, staff and students. CAFNR Research Day will be held Friday, May 7, and will be completely virtual. Registration is required for the event. “We’re incredibly excited to be able to offer this opportunity for our faculty, staff and students,” said Sarah Low, associate professor in the Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) and chair of the CAFNR Research Council. “The purpose…

April 15, 2021

Q&A With Katie Crider

Why did you decide to come to the University of Missouri and major in food science and nutrition? What do you enjoy about the program itself? The field of study? My decision to come to the University of Missouri was a fairly easy one after I visited campus and met with the CAFNR staff. Everyone I met was very friendly and made me feel very welcome. Originally, I was an animal sciences major; however, that was very short-lived when I realized that field was not for me. I quickly switched to hospitality when I discovered that I liked working with…
Chloe Dobson has stayed busy during her time at MU, and as she heads toward graduation in May, she is participating in her most unique project yet – a virtual international internship with Camerata Salzburg, an internationally-renowned chamber orchestra based in Salzburg, Austria. Photo courtesy of Chloe Dobson.

April 15, 2021

A ‘Mind-Blowing’ Experience

When Chloe Dobson arrived at the University of Missouri in 2017, her declared major was political science. Dobson said she was hoping to eventually attend law school. A Thomas Rhett concert at Mizzou changed all of that. Dobson signed up as event staff for the concert, which took place in late 2017. After working the entire event, Dobson switched her major to hospitality management in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). “I was really, really broke at the time, so when I saw an email about a paying job working the concert, I signed up,” Dobson…

April 9, 2021

Q&A With Amy Moum

What are your job duties/job responsibilities in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? I am a program/project support coordinator II in the Division of Applied Social Sciences. I work on faculty development for the division, including faculty awards and promotion & tenure. Once the pandemic restrictions are over I will get back to supporting executive education programming in the Division, as well as building capacity in experience learning for our hospitality management students through the Eckles Café event space. How long have you worked in CAFNR? I have been in CAFNR a little over five years. What do…
Ray Massey

April 8, 2021

Nudging Landowners and Tenants Toward Environmental and Social Stewardship

Ray Massey, Extension professor, and Michelle Segovia, assistant professor, both faculty of agricultural and applied economics in the Division of Applied Social Sciences, recently received a grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The grant is for $498,833 and is titled, “Nudging Landowners and Tenants Toward Environmental and Social Stewardship.” The grant was part of a recent $11.5-million USDA research investment to help ensure America’s small and medium-sized farms become more profitable and improve the quality of life in American farm communities. “The ultimate goal of our project is to promote societal goals by fostering new leasing…

April 7, 2021

CAFNR Announces Dissertation Research Improvement Grantees

The University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Office of Research recently announced its inaugural award winners of the CAFNR Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (C-DRIG). Each grant is worth up to $2,000 to support or partially support dissertation research projects proposed by doctoral students in the College. Proposals were evaluated by the CAFNR Research Council, an advisory body that advises the CAFNR Office of Research and is made up of representatives from each division in the College. Student: Pawan Basnet (Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences) Advisor: Andrew Scaboo (Assistant Professor, Division of Plant Sciences) Development…
The Precision and Automated Agriculture Lab (PAAL) in the CAFNR Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering recently teamed up with researchers in the CAFNR Division of Plant Sciences to study yield estimation of soybean breeding lines under drought stress using unmanned aerial vehicle-based imagery and convolutional neural network. Their work resulted in a paper published by Biosystems Engineering. Pictured is Jing Zhou flying a drone at the Fisher Delta Research Center. Photo courtesy of Jing Zhou.

April 7, 2021

A Different Perspective

High yield potential is often the top trait crop breeders look at, as higher yielding crops can lead to more money in a producer’s pocket. Researchers in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) conduct a variety of trait-related trials through various breeding programs. The Precision and Automated Agriculture Lab (PAAL) in the CAFNR Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering recently teamed up with researchers in the CAFNR Division of Plant Sciences to study yield estimation of soybean breeding lines under drought stress using unmanned aerial vehicle-based imagery and convolutional neural network. Their work…
University of Missouri Extension specialists and experts work to cultivate and promote an atmosphere of lifelong learning among Missourians. Those specialists and experts work with Missourians of all ages. Here, Eric Bailey, assistant professor in the Division of Animal Sciences and state beef Extension specialist, talks with farmers and producers during a field day at the Forage Systems Research Center, located in Linneus, Mo.. Photo taken pre-COVID.

April 1, 2021

Keeping Missourians Up to Speed

Lifelong learning. It’s an essential part of Agriculture and Environment Extension’s goal of doubling the value of Missouri agriculture by 2030 while sustaining the state’s natural resources. It’s a bold goal where lifelong learning meets real people. When Ron Brown was approached to check out the Missouri Master Gardener Extension Program, he thought the opportunity to expand his already extensive gardening knowledge would only help as he worked in his home garden and a community garden in Ferguson, Mo. Ron Brown has worked in gardens throughout his life. Halfway through his time in the Missouri Master Gardener Program, the director…