Deadline approaching to focus on Missouri agriculture

Jun 03, 2015

Photo contest ends on Monday, June 15

Shutterbugs around Missouri who have an eye for photography and a passion for farming and agriculture are invited to participate in the Focus on Missouri Agriculture Photo Contest.

The contest, currently in its 6^th year, encourages people from all across the state to snap a picture of farm life. Whether it be the landscape, harvest, an old farm tractor or a newborn calf.

"The story of agriculture is varied and vast, and often best told by the people who live and breathe it every day,” said Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce. “I look forward to seeing Missourians’ outstanding talent come through in their photos of farm fields, livestock, equipment and our farm families.”

There are different categories for entrants to participate in, including Faces of the Farm and Beauty of the Farm. There’s a category for photographers under 12 years old – Children’s Barnyard.

Little boy taking a picture on a farm

Participants must submit their photos by June 15. Winners are eligible to receive gift cards to the AgriMissouri Market and have their images on display during the Missouri State Fair.

The American Farm Bureau Federation is having their own photo contest too.

Participants must be over the age of 18 and the pictures should display farmers’ dedication to their work.

Some of the categories include:

Technology (farmer using drones/smartphones/other tech)
Consumer Outreach (farmers interacting with consumers)

Submissions for the American Farm Bureau Federation will be accepted until March 31, 2016. Winners will be notified on April 15, 2016.

Tell us your thoughts on the two photo contests. Is one of your hobbies photography? What do you think would make a winning photo?

Video: Season 6, Episode 12: Veterinarians’ Perspectives on Managing Swine Herd Health Across All Phases

Identifying challenges in swine production and turning them into solutions through research and team development is the focus of this episode. Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham of Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics shares insights on herd health, biosecurity and trial work to improve pig performance. She also discusses her team’s research philosophy, how they evaluate rate of investment and how they gather feedback from employees to address challenges and maintain herd health across all phases of production. Dr. Carlos Roudergue of Country View Family Farms discusses the growing complexity of swine production, especially as technology increases and employee interaction decreases. He also shares how their workforce is shifting toward more specialized roles to support herd health and efficiency.