Shelby County Ag Deadline and BQA Session Near

Cattle on pasture. USDA file photo by Ryan Thompson, public domain.

SHELBY COUNTY, Mo. — Area producers have two agricultural opportunities to address this week: a Friday conservation application cutoff that includes a Shelby County watershed and a Thursday evening beef certification program in Shelbina.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service lists Upper Crooked Creek in Shelby County among the watersheds targeted for its initial fiscal year 2027 Environmental Quality Incentives Program application round.

Conservation applications due Friday

Missouri producers should apply by Nov. 6 for consideration in the announced funding round. NRCS accepts applications throughout the year, but the cutoff determines consideration for this round.

The Upper Crooked Creek designation falls under the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative. Producers should ask their local NRCS office whether their land lies within the designated watershed and which resource concerns their proposed work would address.

EQIP offers technical and financial assistance for conservation improvements. Other programs in the announcement include the Conservation Stewardship Program and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.

Statewide EQIP initiatives also include native forage, virtual fencing, agroforestry and wildlife habitat. Eligibility depends on the particular program, location and project.

Producers should contact their local USDA Service Center promptly to discuss an application and the Nov. 6 cutoff.

Beef certification session Thursday in Shelbina

MU Extension’s Beef Quality Assurance program begins at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 in the South Shelby cafeteria, 4154 Highway 36.

The free session allows producers to earn or renew certification. Instruction covers animal care, herd health, beef quality and management practices.

The advertised registration deadline was Oct. 29. Anyone who has not registered should contact Lewis County Extension about availability before attending. The office number is 573-767-5273, and livestock specialist Brenda Schreck can be reached at schreckb@missouri.edu.

A complimentary meal is sponsored by the Missouri Beef Industry Council and the Monroe-Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association.

Lewis County Extension is hosting the program. A second free certification session is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 14, 2027, at First Baptist Church in Ewing. Registration for that session is due Jan. 7.