News

MO Ag Dept. requests more grain inspection and vulture management funds

The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s budget proposal continues to advance through the state legislature. Ag Director Chris Chinn says the department is asking for money to improve grain inspection services for peanuts in the Bootheel.

“This year, we had 25,000 acres planted. With that has come a lot of additional responsibility to the Department of Agriculture to grade those peanuts. We do have requests for full time employees to help with that process in 2024 if the harvest continues to be abundant and grow.”

Chinn says resources have been added to help with outreach and education for producers dealing with black vultures. The federally protected birds have been attacking newborn calves in southwestern Missouri.

“It’s devistating to the cattleman’s bottom line. We’re just trying to help ranchers understand what they can do and where they can get assistance to try and get these black vultures to continue their migration south.”

It’s early in the budget process and Chinn says the 2024 budget still needs to be marked up in both chambers.