NEW HAVEN, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon was in Franklin County today to recognize Rick Scheer and Scheer Family Dairy Farm with the Governor’s Award for Agricultural Achievement, which honors outstanding farmers, growers and processors for their work with agricultural commodities and their communities.

“Agriculture has always been, and will always be, the heart of Missouri’s economy, and dairy farmers like Rick Scheer are a big part of the reason why,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri farmers not only feed the world, they create jobs, support their communities and our economy.”

During his visit today, Gov. Nixon and Missouri’s Director of Agriculture, Dr. Jon Hagler, toured the Scheer Family Dairy operation, which includes 120 Holstein dairy cattle.

The Scheer Family Dairy Farm was the first dairy farm in the state to feature a fully-automated milking system.

Agricultural Summary

Mid-week rainfall across the State limited farmers to 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supply was 17 percent very short, 28 percent short, 54 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.  Subsoil moisture supply improved to 44 percent very short, 37 percent short, and 19 percent adequate.  Ground worked fall tillage was 54 percent, 6 days ahead of last year, and 17 days ahead of the 5 year average (normal) of 30 percent.

Field Crops Report

Soybeans dropping leaves and beyond were 94 percent, 2 days behind last year, but 2 days ahead of normal.  Soybeans mature were 80 percent, 3 days behind last year, but the same as normal.  Soybeans harvested were 50 percent, 6 days behind last year, but 1 day ahead of normal.  Soybean condition was 27 percent very poor, 31 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 11 percent good, and 2 percent excellent.  Cotton harvested was 62 percent, 3 days behind last year, and 1 day behind normal.  Rice harvested was 96 percent, 12 days ahead of last year and 15 days ahead of normal.  Sorghum mature was 94 percent, 5 days behind last year, but 7 days ahead of normal.  Sorghum harvested increased 18 points to 63 percent, 5 days behind last year, but 4 days ahead of normal.  Winter wheat planted was 53 percent, same as of last year but 4 days ahead of normal.  Winter wheat emergence was 34 percent, 3 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of normal.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition were 38 percent very poor, 23 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 8 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Compared to the 5 year average pasture condition of 12 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 38 percent good, and 5 percent excellentSupply of hay and other roughages was 54 percent very short, 31 percent short, and 15 percent adequate.  Stock water supplieswere 44 percent very short, 34 percent short, and 22 percent adequate.

Weather Summary

Temperatures were 1 to 3 degrees above average.  Precipitation averaged 0.45 of an inch statewide.  The southeast district averaged 1.08 inches.

Organizers of the Stewartsville Food Pantry are trying to replace some supplies after robbers stole $600 worth of food.

Director Gwen Thorton says sometime Thursday night someone kicked in the back door and nearly emptied a freezer full of meat.

“The back door was open and I thought I did not leave it like that,” Thornton said. “I always check the freezers and everything because they are old and to make sure they are always running. I opened up the big freezer and there was nothing to check.”

All that was left in the freezer was a turkey breast and about five pounds of hamburger.

The food pantry operates solely on donations and does not get government funding.  Thorton says that’s to make sure everyone in the area are served by the pantry if they need it.

She says some funding was gathered to help replace the food but donations are always helpful.

To donate, call 390-2958 or go to the food pantry at 401 Main Street in Stewartsville.

The food pantry serves Stewartsville, Amity, Osborn, Clarksdale and Easton.

The owners of an Arizona dairy are asking the Supreme Court for the right to challenge federal price-fixing. The Hettinga family says a government market-fixing law forces them to sell milk to consumers at a higher price than they want to charge. In a petition filed Friday – the Hettingas are asking the Supreme Court to take their case – and ensure their lawsuit gets a fair hearing in the courts by allowing them to introduce evidence that the price-fixing law was passed to target them for unfavorable treatment and to block them from competing. Lower courts have denied the Hettingas a chance to introduce evidence. Both the trial court and the court of appeals threw their lawsuit out – taking the government’s word that the law is rational and not requiring proof for that claim. A principal attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation – who represents the Hettingas – says the case is about more than restrictions on dairies and other businesses. Timothy Sandefur says it’s about whether people challenging the constitutionality of any law can get a fair trial – or whether the government can just recite some magic words and make the case disappear.

While several species of Aspergillus fungi produce aflatoxins – some species are actually considered beneficial. In fact – a strain dubbed K49 is now being recruited by USDA scientists to battle the harmful species and prevent them from contaminating host crops like corn with the highly toxic carcinogen. Eacy year – aflatoxin causes an estimated 200-million dollars in U.S. losses alone. But the USDA scientists – in collaboration with scientists in Italy – have devised a new method of applying K49 as a frontline defense against aflatoxin contamination in corn. K49 cannot produce aflatoxin – but it can exclude its aflatoxin-producing cousins from the ecological niches and resources they need to survive. Exploiting this rivalry – according to USDA’s Agricultural Research Service – offers an effective way to diminish aflatoxin levels in soil and in corn kernels.

Scientists encapsulated K49 in bioplastic granules. They say these bioplastic granules improve the beneficial mold’s storage life and viability once applied. In tests – applications of the bioplastic-coated K49 reduced aflatoxin levels by 65 to 97-percent. USDA’s scientist says this technology may also prove useful in delivering other beneficial fungi used to safeguard crops from disease.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced additional funding to modernize and improve the efficiency of rural electric generation and transmission systems in eight states. Several of the loans announced Friday contain support for smart grid projects. In making the announcement – Vilsack said a strong American economy is contingent upon a strong rural economy. He said infrastructure investments like the 107.5-million dollars in loan guarantees provided by USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service will promote job growth.

More information on Rural Development projects throughout the country is available on the agency’s new interactive web mat. Visit www dot rurdev dot usda dot gov slash RDSuccessStories dot html (www.rurdev.usda.gov/RDSuccessStories.html). The map features program funding and success stories for fiscal years 2009 to 2011.