With kids out of school on President's Day, and families looking for something to do, it's a perfect opportunity to see the Pony Express Museum for free.  

The museum will be open to all for free for family day, with several fun events throughout the day, along with tours of the museum.  

Executive Director Cindy Daffron says the event has grown over the years from just doing an obstacle course, to now owning to event center which provides a unique experience  

“That thing is going to take you 2000 miles, you'll start right out as if you were in St. Joseph at the stables and travel all through those eight states, but there’s a few encounters along the way, you might find a snake, might do this, might find a horse,” Daffron says on the KFEQmunnity show. “But what it does it allows the families, the Missouri Division of Tourism and Humanities Council gave us money to make it easier for people to go through.” 

“So before the kids went and you couldn’t catch them, so now the families go through and get to learn, and up on the stage is full of animals so if you’ve got young children there is something in there for everyone.” 

Daffron says the fun starts bright and early with a biscuits and gravy breakfast 

“We want to act like we’re Buffalo Bill, so we’ll have a table and you can come from 8am to 10am and have a little biscuits and gravy, a little Sunny D and a coffee, and just enjoy fellowshipping like people would back in the day” Daffron explains.   

“We know a young boy that traveled all the way from Nebraska three years ago when I said we’re doing biscuits and gravy, and he heard it on Spotify and his grandpa said well you know that’s like three hours away and he like I don’t care grandpa I’ve never had biscuits and gravy and I wanna go, I wanna go, he said well you’ll have to get up early, early, and he said well that’s fine, so he walks in and then he left learning.” 

Other events throughout the day include kids learning how to rope like cowboys, quilting, and making buttons.  Lunch will also be provided.  

Daffron says also during the program, the museum will host some kickoff events for the Day Camp that takes place in the summer 

"We’re gonna do things like make a necklace, so they feel like they’ve kind of started camp in some way, well maybe I want to go,” Daffron says.  “And we find out a lot of kids are like oh yeah my friend went now I know what it is, well then they get an application, so people get to do that.” 

Applications will be available on the day for people to sign their children up for day camp if interested.  The museum will be open from 9am to 4pm.

For more information on Family Day, you can visit the<a href="https://www.ponyexpress.org/"> Pony Express Museum's website</a>.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Experience the Pony Express Museum for free during Family Day next week

The Missouri Western State University School of Fine Arts will host its 19th Annual Jazz Festival starting at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12. Since its inception in 2007 with only four bands, the event has grown significantly, featuring 18 school ensembles this year.

Performances will take place throughout the day in Blum 219 and the Fulkerson Center. Each participating group will perform for a panel of adjudicators to receive written and recorded critiques. Following their sets, the bands will transition into private clinics lasting 25 to 40 minutes, where professional clinicians will provide hands-on instruction to help students refine their technique.

“The primary focus and commitment of this festival is making this an educational and musical experience for students and directors alike,” said Bob Long, director of jazz studies at Missouri Western.

The event will conclude with a 6:30 p.m. concert in the Fulkerson Center featuring the MoWest Jazz Ensemble and guest trombonist David Dickey. The guest appearance is funded by a grant from the Missouri Western State University Arts Society.

The public is encouraged to attend the performances and the evening concert. Admission for the entire day is free of charge.

Missouri Western State University to host 19th Annual Jazz Festival

The St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office have announced an upcoming eight-week academy running from&nbsp;March 31st through May 26th.

 This program is designed to be both informative and engaging, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the day-to-day operations within local law enforcement agencies.

Classes will be held every&nbsp;Tuesday evening from 6:00 pm to approximately 9:00 pm&nbsp;at the Law Enforcement Center, located at 501 Faraon, unless otherwise specified. Each session will be led by certified Law Enforcement Officers from both the City and County departments, offering a look at how teams serve the community.

It was noted that this is not a candidate school for aspiring officers. Instead, it is a community outreach program intended to provide a hands-on experience of departmental operations. Active discussion and mutual learning is encouraged, but this program is not a forum for debating personal grievances or previous enforcement contacts.

Due to the interactive nature of the academy,&nbsp;class size is limited to 30 participants. Law enforcement is requesting that only those who can commit to the full eight-week schedule apply. To graduate, participants must attend at least six of the nine scheduled sessions.

Reasons for not being accepted may include (but are not limited to); Any felony arrest or conviction, any misdemeanor arrest or conviction within the last year, and arrests related to drugs, domestic violence, or other violent acts.

Only the first thirty qualified candidates will be selected.

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be honored at a graduation ceremony and presented with a diploma by Chief of Police Paul Luster and Sheriff Bill Puett.

Registration is available <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfs14RD-gP-J0PrYmz_4-Zz7oxmz4xXKgwNboxrVLQQ7_Ghpg/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawP4iqxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFUbW5VTnJSRnZOdDB1cDVVc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrzazT36bifo0hqi94PcjIbWl55nnUedTVLVVs28-ZfcjgI1tONiEd5LDzaQ_aem__w4u1byh00edOd99YfS6kQ">here</a>.

Joint Citizens Law Enforcement Academy announced in St. Joseph

A press release from the Elwood Police Department says on January 15, 2026, Elwood police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle displaying a stolen Nebraska registration tag after receiving information from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

During the stop, officers arrested the following individuals:

- Kyle Wissler was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Stolen Property, and Driving While License Suspended.

- Quetin Elmer was arrested for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and was also held on an active arrest warrant out of Nemaha County, Kansas.

While processing the case, officers reportedly observed additional items that appeared suspicious and proactively contacted neighboring agencies to determine whether the property was connected to any open investigations. 

As a result, the Hiawatha Police Department obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, leading to the recovery of property connected to a double burglary investigation. Information from this case also assisted the Nebraska City Police Department in advancing their investigation.

Elwood Police stop leads to multi-agency burglary and drug bust

The University of Missouri Extension is offering 'Dining with Diabetes,' a healthy cooking class specifically designed for individuals looking to manage their diabetes through better nutrition. 

This program focuses on proving that healthy meals can be easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and delicious.

Participants have the opportunity to gain practical skills through live recipe demonstrations and comprehensive educational sessions. The curriculum covers:

This course consists of four consecutive Monday sessions. To ensure safety and accessibility, all classes will be held virtually via Zoom.

The Department of Health and Senior Services, says the program is completely free for all participants. However, registration is required to receive the Zoom link and course materials. To register, call Rachel Livesay at 816-324-3147 or <a href="https://pears.io/events/mu/4223/">online</a>.

MU Extension to host Dining with Diabetes: A Free Virtual Cooking Series

KFEQ Morning Sports 

For almost four hours Tuesday, Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe heard arguments on what it means to turn in signatures for a referendum. Opponents of the redistricting plan said allowing it to take effect renders the right of referendum meaningless

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

A Missouri judge is being asked to decide which congressional district map — the one&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/12/missouri-senate-adjourns-early-after-passing-congressional-redistricting-map/">passed in 2022</a>&nbsp;or the one&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">passed last year</a>&nbsp;— will be in effect when candidates line up to file for office later this month.

For about four hours Tuesday, Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe listened to arguments over the meaning of&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++52(a)&amp;bid=31810&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">constitutional provisions</a>&nbsp;governing&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++52(b)&amp;bid=31811&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">citizen referendums</a>. He wanted to know why he was being asked to make a decision now about what happens when petitions are delivered when the deadline for determining if there are enough signatures to force a vote is months away.

The first important date on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/calendar/2026cal" target="_blank">this year’s election calendar</a>&nbsp;is the opening of candidate filing on Feb. 24, said Jonathan Hawley, an attorney representing the Jackson County residents who filed the lawsuit.&nbsp;

If the gerrymandered map passed last year by Republicans is used during candidate filing, he said, it will be difficult if not impossible to change when signature-checking is complete in July. That is just days before the Aug. 4 primary.

“If a law could take effect before the people have their say, it would make the referendum power meaningless,” Hawley said.

Attorneys for the state argued the earliest date a law can be suspended by an initiative is when the petitions have been found to include enough signatures to make the ballot.

“Do we assume that submitting an unverified petition and unverified signatures suspends a law passed by the people’s representatives?” asked Louis Capozzi, state solicitor general.

Stumpe asked attorneys to make their final filings by next Tuesday.

Redistricting has become the biggest political war in Missouri in decades. Republicans muscled a gerrymandered congressional map through the Legislature last year under&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">pressure from President Donald Trump</a>. The new plan carved up the 5th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City since 2005, in an attempt to flip it to the GOP.

A political action committee, People Not Politicians, began gathering signatures to force a statewide vote and turned in more than 300,000 signatures on Dec. 9 to Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ office.

By then, several court cases were underway and more would follow, including the case that went to trial on Tuesday. Hoskins, going against a century of precedent, declared that the new law took effect Dec. 11 despite the submission of signatures.

For all past referendums, the filing of a petition with enough apparent signatures to make the ballot was all that was needed for a new law to be put on hold until the vote or the signatures count was verified. That is what happened in 2017 after a referendum petition challenging right to work was filed.

Stumpe noted the intensity of the political and legal fights when he asked the attorneys to restrain their rhetoric in court.

“This is an emotionally charged case,” he said. “This is a politically charged case.”

The key legal question Stumpe will have to resolve is whether delivering referendum signatures is enough to prevent a law from taking effect.

The Constitution says that when a law is referred to voters, it does not take effect until they approve it, Hawley said. The filing of the petition pages with an apparently sufficient number of signatures is enough to suspend the law.

Every decision made by Missouri courts on the referendum power, back to one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/state-v-carter-899764459" target="_blank">earliest decisions in 1914</a>, backs up that argument, he said.&nbsp;

“For the past 100 years, Missouri courts at all levels have safeguarded that right,” he said.

In the 1914 case, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that refusal by the secretary of state and the attorney general to do their duties “did not defeat the referendum so as to prevent the suspension of the act, since the constitutional provision for the referendum is self-executing.”

But the law in 1914 was that petitioners certified the signatures they gathered, Capozzi said. The law hasn’t been referred to voters until the signature verification process approved in 1980 is complete, he said.

The petition must have about 110,000 signatures representing 5% of the 2024 vote for governor in six of the state’s eight congressional districts.&nbsp;

A PAC called Put Missouri First intervened in the case to back up the state’s arguments. Marc Ellinger, attorney for the PAC, said it is unknown whether the petition will have enough signatures.

“Don’t jump to the conclusion that a box of papers stops a law in Missouri,” Ellinger said.

A referendum rests on three legs, Stumpe said: timely filing, legal form and sufficient signatures to make the ballot. He asked Hawley to explain why he should act while signatures are being checked.

“We have to presume the third leg of the stool or the referendum process falls apart,” Hawley said.

It is uncertain what Hoskins has done other than say the law is in effect. As part of the redistricting plan, Democratic voters in predominantly Black areas of Kansas City were shifted into the Republican 4th District and heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County were added to the remaining Kansas City portions.

In the map passed in 2022, Boone County was split between the 3rd and 4th districts.&nbsp;

Hoskins’ office has not delivered the information needed to reassign voters to new districts, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said Tuesday in an interview with The Independent. Local election authorities cannot change voters to new districts until after the April election, she noted.

Hoskins’ office delivered 2,450 pages with signatures to Boone County.

“We’re almost done” with signature verification, Lennon said.

The case heard Tuesday, while directly about the date the new map takes effect, has side issues that include accusations that it was engineered by People Not Politicians.

After hearing arguments over demands by the state for more information, Stumpe denied the request.

Judge to decide whether Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map is in effect

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged assault.

Just after 8:30p.m. February 7, police&nbsp;responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 1400 block Santa Fe Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An investigation determined that a disturbance had occurred around 10p.m. on Thursday night involving three people who reside together at the residence. 

During the disturbance 63-year-old Nena Dempsey had threatened the other two residents with a handgun and subsequently locked the two, a 56-year-old man and 66-year-old woman, in a bedroom where they remained throughout the night. Dempsey is also charged with striking the 66-year-old woman in the face multiple times on Friday morning.

Police arrested Dempsey on requested charges of aggravated assault, criminal restraint, and battery and booked her into the county jail. She remains in custody on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Kan. woman accused of violent attack on roommates

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, in partnership with the American Legion, is officially accepting applications for the 54th Cadet Patrol Academy. 

The joint program is seeking motivated young men and women, ages 16 to 18, to participate in the upcoming 2026 class.

The week-long academy is scheduled to begin on June 7. This immersive experience is designed to provide students with hands-on insight into the world of law enforcement. Throughout the week, cadets will mirror the daily routines and rigorous training of actual Patrol recruits, allowing them to explore various career paths within the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The program will conclude with a formal graduation ceremony on Friday, June 12.

To be considered for the academy, interested students must meet the following criteria:

Prospective cadets can find applications through the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.missourilegion.org/">Missouri Legion website</a> or by visiting their local American Legion Post. For specific questions regarding the academy, contact Corporal Michael Halim at 573-522-7650.

Applications for the American Legion Cadet Patrol Academy are now open

The Route E bridge over West Honey Creek, located southeast of Princeton, is scheduled to close for a total replacement beginning Monday, Feb. 23.

Part of the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) Northwest Bridge Bundle project, the bridge is expected to remain closed through July 2026. Local motorists are advised to plan alternate routes for the duration of the construction.

The existing West Honey Creek Bridge was constructed in 1932 and currently serves roughly 294 vehicles daily. Its replacement is one of 31 aging structures across north central Missouri identified for replacement or rehabilitation under the "poor-condition" designation.

“The Northwest Bridge Bundle is a Design-Build project which will replace or rehabilitate 31 poor-condition bridges,” said MoDOT Project Manager Michael Marriott.

In December 2023, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded the contract to the Capital – Horner &amp; Shifrin team. Unlike traditional methods, the Design-Build delivery system uses a single contracting team to handle both the design and construction phases.

MoDOT to close Route E Bridge in Mercer County for replacement

At the beginning of next month, the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art will put on a special exhibit, highlighting several high school artists from around the region.  

The annual Regional High School Exhibition will celebrate the creativity and artistic talents of many high schoolers from throughout the northwest Missouri region.  

Director of Education Alex Asher says this exhibit is different from anything the museum normally puts on 

"Because it showcases our young artists in the community who are just starting and exploring their artwork,” Asher says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “And it's so different from anything else because they are not afraid, they will make artwork based on whatever they are feeling at the time, and it’s pretty amazing.” 

Asher says the opening for this exhibit is always one of the most well attended 

“Because all of those students, their families and teachers come and it’s set up a lot like the membership exhibition where they have awards that they’ll win,” Asher explains.  “And so, at 2pm they’ll have that awards ceremony, it’s very exciting to see these young artists, so excited to be in the exhibition, but also to win something in their category and feel the recognition that they should receive.” 

Asher says having their work on display for people to see can give young artists inspiration to continue growing in the arts 

“But also, to have not an arts career, but just to be involved in the arts in their community for the rest of their lives,” Asher says.  “That’s what's so important about the art museum, is that we might not have the majority of artists as members, but it’s people who want to support the arts, who want to be involved, who want to be a part of this community, because it really is vibrant and it's so positive.” 

The exhibit opening is on March 1st from 1 to 4pm and runs until April 12th.  It will run alongside another new exhibit titled A Scattering of Jades, featuring works from Cesar Lopez &amp; Kiki Serna. 

Albrecht Kemper puts works of area high schoolers on display next month

A new American Farm Bureau Market Intel Report said Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies increased for the second year in a row, reaching 315 filings in 2025, a 46 percent increase from 2024. The Midwest and Southeast filed 121 and 105 Chapter 12 cases, respectively, far outpacing any other regions. Deep crop losses across commodities common in those two regions have compounded after years of declining receipts and rising expenses. 

Filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a last resort for farmers who have incurred large debts to continue operating with increased flexibility for payments. Midwest states with double-digit filings include Iowa with 18, Nebraska 17, Missouri and Wisconsin each had 16 filings, Minnesota with 13, and Kansas had 11. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said farmers are taking out larger operating loans and taking longer to repay them. USDA estimates that total farm debt will rise 5.2 percent to a record $624.7 billion this year. 

Farm bankruptcies continued climbing in 2025

The USDA announced the enrollment periods for agricultural producers and landowners to submit offers for the Continuous and General Conservation Reserve Program. The Farm Service Agency is accepting offers for Continuous CRP starting this Thursday, February 12, through March 20, 2026. Enrollment for the General CRP will run from March 9, 2026, through April 17, 2026. FSA will announce the dates for the Grassland CRP signup in the near future. 

“We’re still very close to the 27-million-acre statutory cap, with 1.9 million acres available for all CRP enrollments this fiscal year, so enrollment is likely to be competitive,” said Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Programs and Conservation. “It’s not about the total number of enrolled acres, it’s about producers and landowners offering the acres that can best deliver real and lasting benefits to soil, water, and wildlife.” Producers and landowners interested in participating in CRP should contact their local FSA county office. 

USDA announces enrollment periods for 2026 continuous and general CRP 

March corn closed unchanged and May corn was up a 1/4 cent. March soybeans closed up 11 3/4 cents and May soybeans were up 12 1/2 cents. March KC wheat closed up 1 3/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was down a 1/2 cent, March Minneapolis wheat was down 2 1/4 cents.

Soybean futures led the way higher on Tuesday, resuming rallying efforts after a brief pause on Monday. Meanwhile, corn and wheat markets were mixed as USDA made very few changes to U.S. and global balance sheets but did reiterate multi-year highs in grain reserves. Outside markets were mixed for Tuesday with softer energy markets, while the U.S. dollar recovered from the turn lower on Monday.

In trying to wait patiently for the week's fundamentals to shine through the marketplace, the live cattle complex was mixed for the bulk of the session before finishing lower, as traders simply aren't willing to advance the market at this point without first seeing fundamental reassurance develop. It's quite likely the market could enter a sideways trading range until it sees what the fed cash cattle market is going to accomplish this week. Traders don't want to pressure the market's resistance from a technical standpoint, but at the same time they believe in the market's long-term, bullish fundamental outlook, which is why a sideways trend is most likely to be the theme throughout the remainder of the week and until cash cattle begin to trade. Tuesday's WASDE report shared a fruitful outlook for the cattle and beef markets of 2026. Beef production for 2026 was increased by 185 million pounds as fed cattle slaughter is expected to increase, cow slaughter is expected to increase, and carcass weights are obviously higher. Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice up $2.24 ($370.00) and select down $0.82 ($364.53) with a movement of 74 loads (53.35 loads of choice, 4.31 loads of select, 4.17 loads of trim and 11.88 loads of ground beef).

Without a strong presence seen in the live cattle complex, the feeder cattle contracts were also trading mixed into Tuesday's noon hour, before fading and finishing lower. But what remains interesting about the feeder cattle market's behavior is the deferred contracts aren't concerned about what the live cattle contracts are doing and instead traded fully higher, seeming more focused on the market's long-term situation of short supplies for the bulk of today's session.

The lean hog complex was again trading lower as the market seems to be anticipating increased supplies that are soon to hit the market. The last quarterly Hogs and Pigs report unveiled more market-ready supplies than what the industry anticipated, and there were plenty of hogs noted in the heavy weight categories which will meet the consumer in the supply chain at any point in time now. But what also remains true is that while the futures complex may be scaling lower, pork demand over the last two weeks has been noticeably stronger, which one may logically assume is because some consumers are electing to purchase pork as opposed to beef as it's a cheaper protein option.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/02/10143131/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new federal registration for low-volatility Dicamba herbicides in 34 states. This registration will enable U.S. farmers to have access to this important weed control tool in Dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton. Bayer is launching the new registration as Stryax Dicamba herbicide, a restricted-use pesticide. “With a federal registration in hand, we’ll begin the process of seeking state approvals,” said Dr. Ty Witten, Bayer’s vice president of commercial stewardship. ”In the weeks ahead, we’ll launch applicator training opportunities and stewardship education to help ensure that growers and applicators have the best experience possible.” 

The registration will enable the use of approved low-volatility Dicamba herbicides in-crop up to seven days pre-harvest in XtendFlex cotton, and up through R1 in XtendFlex soybeans. Bayer said Stryax is intended to help manage glyphosate-resistant broadleaf weeds, as well as other tough-to-control weeds. 

EPA announces new low-volatility Dicamba herbicides

The U.S. will temporarily expand the amount of beef it can import from Argentina, thanks to an executive order signed by President Trump last week. Reports said the move is intended to help lower the price of beef, but the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said that isn’t accurate. The proclamation increases the in-quota tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings by 80,000 metric tons for the calendar year 2026. 

The additional imports will be entirely allocated to imports from Argentina and released into the U.S. market in segments four times through the year, beginning this week on February 13. “The White House said the action is intended to boost supply and make ground beef more affordable for American consumers,” the reports continued. “The proclamation from the White House said the administration is acting in response to historically high beef prices and a prolonged decrease in the U.S. cattle herd.”

U.S. to quadruple beef imports from Argentina

March corn closed down 1 1/2 cents per bushel at $4.28 3/4 and May Corn closed down 1 3/4 cents per bushel at $4.37 and March soybeans closed down 4 1/2 cents at $11.10 3/4 and May soybeans were down 3 3/4 cents at $11.25. March KC wheat closed down 2 1/2 cents at $5.28 3/4, March Chicago wheat was down 1 cent at $5.28 3/4 and MIAX March Minneapolis wheat was up 0.01 cents at $5.7050.

Grain and soybean markets fell Monday, led by soybeans and soymeal as the Argentine rain outlook has brightened and soy premiums in South America fell, making the U.S. less competitive. Soybean oil bucked the bearish trend and rallied along with crude oil.

The livestock complex headed into Monday's noon hour with a mixed tone, as traders desired to push the contracts higher, but needed to see more fundamental support before they would confidently do so. New showlists are higher in Texas, Kansas and mostly steady in Nebraska/Colorado.

The live cattle complex was taking a mixed approach to Monday's noon hour as the market continued to desire to trade higher -- but traders need to see continued fundamental support and reassurance before they'll likely push the market up to or beyond resistance thresholds.

Upon establishing what seems to be a new top last week in the lean hog complex, the market continued to trade lower today as traders question if there's enough support to challenge that new threshold.&nbsp;

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/12/15204004/30001.mp3">Click HERE for Audio</a>

Modern Ag Alliance issued a report on the state of the American farmer, showing that agriculture is facing one of its most challenging periods in a generation. The report said economic pressures and activist campaigns against modern agriculture have created conditions where even the most resilient operations are feeling the strain. 

These pressures extend well beyond the farm gate, giving price instability across the economy for the food, fuel, and fiber that depend on agricultural production. The report shows farmers face profitability challenges, with only about half the farmers expected to be profitable in the past year. Commodity prices have dropped as high as 58 percent since 2022, and cost increases like labor and tariff-related expenses continue climbing. Farm bankruptcies have seen a 60 percent year-over-year increase, surpassing the 2024 total by mid-2025. 

They also said regulatory uncertainty and disconnected policymakers are making a difficult situation even harder.

Modern Ag Alliance Issues a Report on the Modern Farmer

Boehringer Ingelheim announced that the Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for using IVOMEC (Ivermectin) 1% Injection for preventing infestations of New World Screwworm in cattle. 

Under the Authorization, Ivermectin 1% is usable for the prevention of infestations caused by NWS larvae when administered within 24 hours of birth, at the time of castration, or at the appearance of a wound in cattle. It’s not usable in female dairy cattle producing milk for human consumption and calves that will be processed for veal. 

Based on the available scientific evidence, the FDA determined that there is no adequate, approved, and available alternative to the product for preventing NWS in certain cattle at these critical intervention points. “Protecting the health and well-being of livestock is at the core of our mission,” said Steve Boren, the vice president of U.S. livestock for Boehringer Ingelheim.

BIVI Secures Emergency Authorization for NWS Medication

The USDA’s Economic Research Service forecasts that net farm income, a broad measure of profitability in the agricultural economy, is forecast to drop by 0.7 percent to $153.4 billion in 2026 compared to last year. When adjusted for inflation, net farm income is projected to decrease by $4.1 billion or 2.6 percent. Reuters said that the drop comes despite near-record government payments, which will make up almost 29 percent of producers’ bottom line. 

“Agency data said without those government payments, net farm income would drop almost 12 percent to $109.1 billion,” Reuters said. “Government payments are doing a lot of the work to support crop producers.” 

The USDA forecast said producers will receive $30.5 billion in direct support in 2025 and $44.3 billion in 2026, excluding additional payouts from federal crop insurance indemnities. “We haven’t seen these levels since 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 upheaval and trade disruptions during President Donald Trump’s first term,” Reuters added.

Farm Income Will Fall in 2026

March corn closed down 4 3/4 cents and May corn was down 4 1/4 cents. March soybeans closed up 3 cents and May soybeans were up 2 3/4 cents. March KC wheat closed down 7 1/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was down 5 1/2 cents, March MIAX Minneapolis wheat was down 1 1/2 cents.

Soybeans continued their recent bullish burst for much of Friday morning, before sellers became very active and ultimately erased roughly 25 cents of value, sending prices well off daily highs. Traders were clearly uncomfortable carrying recent length into the weekend and saw reason to book some profits. Moreso, traders may be starting to lose patience and wish to see some export sales to follow up President Trump's very bullish Wednesday trade comments, with the daily flash sales page from USDA quiet both Thursday and Friday to close the week. Meanwhile, selling drove corn and wheat futures lower, negatively influencing soybeans as well. Traders are preparing for next week's WASDE report which will very likely reiterate January's findings of multi-year highs in U.S. grain reserves.&nbsp;

What a breath-holding last couple of days it's been for the cattle complex! Thursday, the market experienced a sharp sell-off as traders were nervous about the union strike at the JBS packing plant in Greely, Colorado, which consequently sent the live cattle complex tumbling mostly $5.00 lower. But the fast-paced environment of the marketplace seems to have moved past that headline and traders were again fixated on the market's strong fundamental strength as they were pleased to note the uptick in boxed beef prices and even more pleased to see fed cash cattle prices trading higher.&nbsp;

The feeder cattle complex was enjoying a healthy rally as well as the market is currently trading $6.00 to $7.00 higher into Friday's noon hour. Support came from the uptick in fed cash cattle prices to the additional fundamental support of stronger boxed beef prices and, of course, the technical confidence of saw the live cattle contracts scaling higher as well.

The lean hog contracts were enjoying a mild rally into Friday's noon hour as the market was merely chopping sideways into the noon hour. If the market weren't up against immediate resistance thresholds, then there was a chance that it would potentially still be trading robustly higher. But with technical fatigue setting in and midday pork cutout values down softly, traders have deemed the safest bet ahead of the weekend is a mild rally as opposed to an aggressive one.&nbsp;

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/01/23205559/30001.mp3">Click HERE for Audio</a>

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — CoreCivic argued Tuesday for the right to begin holding prisoners in its closed Leavenworth facility, even as the company is working through a local permit process that could make the court case irrelevant.

CoreCivic challenged an injunction in the Kansas Court of Appeals that was made last year by the Leavenworth County District Court. The injunction kept the private prison from taking detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while CoreCivic and the City of Leavenworth fought in court about reopening the company’s prison facility.

Complicating the issue, the two are now working through the city’s planning process as CoreCivic has applied for a special use permit that would allow it to reopen.&nbsp;

“This is a difficult case because it feels like there are all of these slippery parts that are not part of the matter before us,” said Chief Judge Sarah Warner. “There’s a separate lawsuit. There are ongoing administrative proceedings.”&nbsp;

CoreCivic operated a private prison in Leavenworth until 2021 when it lost a contract with the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2025, the company announced it planned to reopen the prison as the Midwest Regional Detention Center and house ICE detainees.&nbsp;

The city required CoreCivic to obtain a special use permit through its planning and zoning process before reopening, which is where the court cases originated last year. The two entities have been fighting it out in court, with CoreCivic insisting it did not need a permit.&nbsp;

After losses in Kansas district court, CoreCivic bowed to the city’s demands and began the process of obtaining the permit. Last week, the city’s planning commission&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/03/corecivic-receives-leavenworth-planning-commission-approval-in-contentious-meeting/" target="_blank">approved the permit</a>&nbsp;and sent it to the city commission for a final determination.&nbsp;

Although one court case between the two ended and one remains open but inactive, the Nashville-based private prison company continued its appeal Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/04/leavenworth-wins-restraining-order-barring-corecivic-from-taking-ice-detainees/" target="_blank">argue the injunction prohibiting</a>&nbsp;it from taking prisoners immediately should be reversed.

Sara Fevurly, an attorney for CoreCivic, said the district court didn’t properly grant the injunction, and even if the decision were rendered moot after the permit was approved, the company may be entitled to fees and damages associated with an improper temporary injunction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the short hearing focused on legal technicalities of the case, both sides argued about the definition of “irreparable harm” and whether CoreCivic abandoned use of its property because it did not house prisoners there for about three years.&nbsp;

Joseph Hatley, an attorney for Leavenworth, told the court it was difficult to determine what “irreparable harm” would mean for the city, listing challenges the city had with CoreCivic during its operations before 2021. Those included not alerting local police to crimes at the facility and public works issues created by sewage.&nbsp;

Fevurly argued that past behavior cannot be used to determine harm.&nbsp;

“I don’t know how you calculate damages based on the police inability to investigate crimes,” Hatley said. “There are people who get hurt by that, there are victims in the facility who are hurt by that. Irreparable harm is the inability to calculate damages, and that’s what we have here.”

Warner said the judges would render a written opinion as soon as they could.&nbsp;

CoreCivic will know by March 10 whether the city will approve its special use permit to reopen the prison, Hatley said after the hearing. That will be the city commission’s second consideration of the permit, with the first consideration occurring Feb. 24. A public hearing is held as part of the process.&nbsp;

David Waters, the Leavenworth city attorney, said after the hearing that the public’s input is “certainly” part of determining whether the permit goes through.&nbsp;

“That is why we hold a public hearing,” he said. “The planning commission holds that public hearing to get the citizen input on that. It’s one of the most important parts of the zoning and planning process is to get that input from the residents as to what is best for the public health and safety and welfare of the community.”

Waters said CoreCivic has the option to appeal to the district court if the city commission refuses to grant the permit.

CoreCivic argues to overturn injunction keeping it from housing ICE detainees in Kansas prison

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

At 9:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of E. Armour Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri, on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.

Multiple callers reported the sound of gunfire from behind an apartment building there. On arrival officers were directed to a parking lot in the back of an apartment building where they located a vehicle with two shooting victims, a man and woman, unresponsive inside.&nbsp;

Officers called for EMS who declared both victims deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Homicide detectives responded to the scene to conduct their investigation along with crime scene investigators who are processing the scene for available evidence.&nbsp; Police did not release any suspect information or the names of the victims.

Homicide: Man, woman found dead in car behind KC apartment building

The FAA lifted the restrictions hours after they were put in place. Rep. Veronica Escobar stressed there is no threat to El Paso or the surrounding areas.

by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/author/terri-langford/">Terri Langford</a> <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/">Texas Tribune</a>

The Federal Aviation Administration suddenly shut down airspace over El Paso and part of southern New Mexico because of an impasse with the Department of Defense over the use of unmanned military aircraft, according to an industry official who had been briefed on the matter by the FAA in a morning call.&nbsp;

The FAA later reopened airspace on Wednesday morning, just hours after the notice shutting it down was issued.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA shared on X.

The Defense Department has been operating unmanned aircrafts, or drones, against drug cartel operations from a base near El Paso’s airport without sharing information with the FAA, the source, who asked not to be identified, told The Texas Tribune early Wednesday.&nbsp;

“It has to do with the FAA’s inability to predict where [unmanned aircraft systems] might be flying,” the official told the Tribune. “They have been operating outside the normal flight paths.”

A Trump official said the closure occurred because Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones, the official said, and both the FAA and the military have now determined there is no threat to commercial travel.

The unexplained notices late Tuesday closed airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport was set to be closed to all flights, the city had said. The orders closed off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nation’s 23rd-largest city.

Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said her office has been told there’s no imminent threat to El Paso.

The Tribune was unable to immediately reach Fort Bliss officials for comment.&nbsp;

The Federal Aviation Administration issued notices late Tuesday, closing airspace over El Paso and a large patch of southern New Mexico west of Santa Teresa for 10 days. El Paso International Airport is closed to all flights, the city said.&nbsp;

The orders close off all air travel in the affected area, which could cause massive disruption in the nation’s 23rd largest city.

Pilots who do not adhere may be intercepted and detained, the notices said. The government could use deadly force if the aircraft poses an “imminent security threat.”

The notices, known as Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, took effect at 11:30 p.m. Mountain Time Tuesday, and expire at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 20. The announcement caught officials with local government agencies and Fort Bliss by surprise, multiple sources told El Paso Matters.

The El Paso city government issued an advisory early Wednesday that flights at El Paso International Airport are canceled.

“The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and our neighboring community, Santa Teresa, NM. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations (including commercial, cargo and general aviation) and is effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST),” the city said in a news release.

“Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance.&nbsp; In the meanwhile, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security related. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines to get the latest information on their flight status.”

Closing off airspace over a major U.S. city is a rare action, and officials with the Federal Aviation Administration didn’t immediately respond to questions from El Paso Matters on the reasons for the action.

A person familiar with the notices, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly, said the action to close airspace over a major U.S. for security reasons over an extended period hasn’t happened since immediately after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“All air traffic has been halted in a 10 nautical mile range around the airport, so encompassing El Paso and Fort Bliss, from the ground to 17,000 feet. So no aircraft in or out, regardless of what they are, whether it’s air carriers, military, medevac helicopters, law enforcement. Nobody can fly as this thing is written up,” the person said.

The notices include a phone number at the FAA’s Special Operations Support Center to call for more information. A man identifying himself as Eric spoke briefly to El Paso Matters late Tuesday and said he couldn’t explain the reason for the notices.

“Not really, not because I won’t, it’s because I don’t know. I mean, this is just the office that publishes. So we’re handed the sheets and they say go with it,” Eric said.

The restricted airspace covers most of El Paso County, but doesn’t include Mexican airspace, according to information provided by the FAA.

It also includes a large area of southern New Mexico west of San Teresa, but not the airport in the suburb west of El Paso. The restricted New Mexico airspace goes from the Mexican border on the south to the Organ Mountains-Desert Peak National Monument to the north.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Local

Region

Sports

Agriculture