People will be traveling for the holidays to be with family, and many may be bringing their pets along with them to join in the family fun.   

Melanie Barnes with Friends of the Animal Shelter says if you are taking your pet along on your holiday trips, keep them safe, especially if going to a place with an unfamiliar animal.  

Barnes says there are no for sure tips on introducing pets to each other, because each pet is different, but says there are some ways you can help them acclimate 

"If you can plan ahead of time, and like have them share things to share the smell, that’s really nice,” Barnes says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “So like a week ahead of time if there’s a special toy or a blanket that your pet lays on all the time, or a small bed, and you can swap those so they kind of get used to those smells that’s always a really nice thing to do in advance so it’s not so shocking.” 

Barnes says when introducing your pet to another pet they may not know, it's best to keep them on a leash so you can pull them away if they begin to go at each other.  

"Don’t ever try and reach in between them, that’s when bad things happen,” Barnes explains.  “I know it’s natural, people want to stop it, maybe pick their pet up, things like that, but if they’re really not getting along then use the leashes and pull them apart, do it in a safe area, don’t do it in the middle of your dining room or where the dishes are or something like that.” 

Barnes says be sure to watch your pets for any signs of aggression such as hair standing up or a posture that shows things may be going too fast and says sometimes it's best to take things slow.   

Barnes says an unexpected vet bill could be the las thing you want to spoil your holiday, so keep an eye on your pets and protect them. Barnes says especially to protect them around that holiday food 

"We certainly also don’t want a trip to the vet because we’ve either accidentally eaten something that’s caused severe GI upset, or maybe even toxicity, or even potentially a foreign body,” Barnes says.  “And you need to be cognoscente, not only of the food you put on your table and the food you put in the trash, but your decorations, your Christmas things around, a lot of people like to dress their pets up.” 

Barnes says to make sure those outfits you might put your pets in for the holidays fit well and don't choke your pets or could end up having things falling off and getting eaten making the dog or cat sick. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

Avoid that vet visit this Christmas and keep your pets safe

As Missouri lawmakers head into the 2026 legislative session, new federal THC limits are forcing a fresh debate over how — and whether — intoxicating hemp products should be regulated

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Businesses and Missouri lawmakers are scrambling to understand what will happen in November, when&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/11/missouri-hemp-businesses-fear-new-federal-thc-limits-will-destroy-the-industry/">new federal limits on intoxicating hemp products&nbsp;</a>go into effect.

It’s unclear just how proactive the federal government will be enforcing the new restrictions. Will it clamp down, or like it has with marijuana, look the other way as states enact their own rules?&nbsp;&nbsp;

To add to the uncertainty,&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/18/repub/trump-signs-order-to-loosen-federal-restrictions-on-marijuana-but-its-still-illegal/">executive order&nbsp;</a>last week to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana. That action could impact whether or not the feds choose to enforce hemp products as well, according to a congressional&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/LSB11381" target="_blank">report</a>.

Amidst the swirling questions, several Missouri lawmakers have pre-filed bills for the upcoming legislative session that begins in January to establish state regulations on intoxicating hemp products.&nbsp;

Not all of the Missouri proposals include the federal THC limit in their definitions of hemp, which&nbsp;will take effect&nbsp;Nov. 12 and was included in a&nbsp; federal spending package approved by Congress and signed by the president in November.&nbsp;

One&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=443" target="_blank">proposal</a>&nbsp;that does align with the federal restrictions comes from Republican state Sen. David Gregory of Chesterfield, and it would regulate intoxicating hemp the same as marijuana. That would essentially ban current hemp products, because marijuana must be grown in Missouri and most hemp currently is grown outside of the state. It would also require hemp products to be sold in licensed cannabis dispensaries, where most are currently sold in gas stations, liquor stores and restaurants and smoke shops.&nbsp;

Republican state Rep. Matthew Overcast of Ava said he has “no concerns” about the federal language impacting the hemp industry. He plans on continuing to push his&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/4263H.01I.pdf" target="_blank">proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would overturn the current regulatory framework for the cannabis industry and instead allow marijuana and intoxicating hemp products to be sold in the same stores as alcohol and tobacco.&nbsp;

“Historically, there’s been this softened congressional enforcement of our federally illicit marijuana programs that have regulated programs across the nation,” he said. “Even if the language were to stand, I don’t see — outside of big marijuana continuing to try to influence congressional and state legislators and state agencies — that we’re going to see federal enforcement on hemp.”

Democratic state Sen. Karla May of St. Louis pre-filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/26Info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=208" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;that would allow intoxicating hemp products to continue to be sold outside of dispensaries with a $1,000 registration fee annually. Her bill does not include the federal definition, she said, because it was drafted before the spending package went through. May called her bill a “starting point.”

Through it all, intoxicating hemp businesses — along with companies that assist them — are trying to figure out what their future might look like.&nbsp;

“Think about your bank, your payroll company, your merchant processor — they may not want to wait out the 365 days,” said Jessica Velazquez, a Las Vegas-based accountant with Beach Fleishman, during a November webinar for hemp businesses. “They may take a more conservative approach and say, ‘Hey, you know, this really is like [marijuana] and maybe we don’t want to service you anymore’ in the way that they currently are now.’”

Hemp and marijuana are essentially terms the government uses to distinguish between the part of the cannabis plant that has high amounts of THC.

Hemp has previously been defined as any part of the plant containing 0.3% or less&nbsp;delta-9 THC&nbsp;by dry weight.

Last month, a provision in the federal spending bill amended the&nbsp;<a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title7/chapter38/subchapter7&amp;edition=prelim" target="_blank">definition of hemp</a>, changing the limit to a total THC concentration of less than .3% on a dry weight basis, rather than only delta-9 THC. It also prohibits products from containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container.

The changes address some of the concerns Congress heard from groups like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cann-ra.org/news-events/cannra-responds-to-congressional-request-for-information-on-federal-cannabinoid-hemp-regulation" target="_blank">Cannabis Regulators Association</a>, which represents state marijuana regulators across the nation.

The association submitted information to Congress in a<a href="https://www.cann-ra.org/news-events/cannra-responds-to-congressional-request-for-information-on-federal-cannabinoid-hemp-regulation" target="_blank">&nbsp;2023 report&nbsp;</a>stating that many hemp businesses are selling “THCA hemp” flower, or buds, containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC.&nbsp;

“However, cannabis plants produce THCA, not THC,” the report states.&nbsp;

When the plant is smoked, the THCA converts or decarboxylates into delta-9 THC – and that’s why every state marijuana program defines THC in terms of both THCA and delta-9 THC, regulators said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

THCA products – including flower, vape cartridges and concentrates – are “indistinguishable” from marijuana products sold in dispensaries, the association stated.

And that’s why, regulators argued, there was a need to add language about total THC, instead of only delta-9.

Regarding weight, the association told Congress that the threshold of 0.3% delta-9 THC by weight is a small amount of THC in a hemp plant. However, when applied to things like chocolate bars or beverages that can weigh significantly more, 0.3% by weight can amount to hundreds of milligrams of THC.

The association gave the example of a 50-gram chocolate bar at 0.3% THC would have around 150 mg of THC — 30 times the standard 5 mg THC dose established by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. A family sized pack of cookies weighing 20 oz can contain around 1,700 mg of THC using the 0.3% THC threshold.

“The whole question was: what is hemp and what is marijuana?” said Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association. “There was not a bright line there, and it was a line that obviously some bad actors have used to push intoxicating products that were completely unregulated.”

The lack of government oversight on these products makes them a public health risk, Cardetti said. Now there is a “clear bright line,” he said, and he believes a majority of Missouri lawmakers will want to align with the federal definition.

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee stated the changes were made to prevent “<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy26_agriculture_rural_development_fda_bill_summary_-_majority.pdf" target="_blank">the unregulated sale of intoxicating</a>” hemp products.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12620" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Congressional Research Service released this month states that it “remains to be seen” whether the FDA will opt to try and remove the products from the market or not.

The FDA and DEA, in coordination with the Department of Justice, “have a range of civil and criminal remedies they may use in efforts to exercise control over these activities,” it states.

It also says these federal agencies, “may lack the resources to broadly enforce the laws prohibiting intoxicating hemp products on the market.”

Congress may also choose to exercise oversight over federal enforcement priorities regarding state-regulated cannabis activities, the report says. It took that step with medical marijuana, when it prohibited spending money on enforcement.

“Congress can say that, ‘FDA and DEA, we prohibit you from using federal dollars to enforce against state-compliant hemp programs,’” said Craig Small, a Denver-based cannabis attorney.&nbsp;

With the federal limits, Small said hemp companies could run into the same banking and tax issues that marijuana companies do — where there are no business tax deductions allowed and banks largely won’t take them as customers.&nbsp;

How much priority federal agencies need to put on enforcing hemp-derived products seemed to be a “subtext” of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/increasing-medical-marijuana-and-cannabidiol-research/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;to reschedule marijuana, Small said.&nbsp;

It ordered his administration to work with Congress to develop a framework that permits full-spectrum CBD products, which have a trace amount of THC. Those products “will once again be controlled as marijuana,” under the federal spending bill’s provision, the executive order states.&nbsp;

However, it also states the regulatory framework should preserve Congress’ “intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks.”

And it orders federal health agencies to “develop research methods and models utilizing real-world evidence to improve access to hemp-derived cannabinoid products.”&nbsp;

“It does signal to the industry that if we were on a DEFCON 1 before, we’re now on DEFCON 3,” Small said. “Whatever arguments law enforcement want to make on a federal or state level about the danger of these products and how serious it is that we get them off the streets, I do think that’s lessened a little bit with these instructions.”

This will be the fourth year in a row that Missouri lawmakers have attempted to regulate intoxicating hemp products, with previous debates ending in stalemates.&nbsp;

May said she’s planning on sitting down with Gregory to talk about how to move forward this legislative session.&nbsp;

“We really want to solve the issue,” May said. “That’s the key, so I want to make sure that everybody’s on the same page saying the same thing.”

Under May’s bill, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services would be tasked with establishing rules on potency limits, recall procedures of dangerous products, advertising standards and “create mechanisms for compliance and enforcement.”

May led a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/10/intoxicating-hemp-regulations-stall-in-missouri-senate-after-7-hour-filibuster/">seven-hour bipartisan filibuster</a>&nbsp;in April against a bill similar to Gregory’s, after arguing it was nothing more than an attempt by the marijuana industry to stomp out its competition.&nbsp;

“It reminds me so much of a street drug war,” May said during an April Senate floor debate. “All drugs have always been about distribution and territory. And this is no different.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/26/missouri-lawmakers-weigh-the-cost-of-regulating-intoxicating-hemp-products/">department has previously put a high price tag</a>&nbsp;on proposals that create separate rules for intoxicating hemp and marijuana products.&nbsp;

Republican state Rep. Dave Hinman of O’Fallon led a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/14/lawmakers-vote-down-a-second-bill-to-regulate-intoxicating-hemp-products-in-missouri/">similar effort&nbsp;</a>as May to license hemp business during the last legislative session, but he said he will file a bill that aligns with the new federal definition.

Overcast’s constitutional amendment would replace the marijuana legalization amendment approved by voters in 2022 with language that instructs Missouri lawmakers to create regulations that are no more burdensome than what we already have for alcohol and tobacco.&nbsp;

The amendment is nearly identical to four&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2026-141.pdf" target="_blank">initiative petitions</a>&nbsp;filed in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/new-initiative-petition-would-regulate-missouri-marijuana-hemp-products-the-same-as-alcohol/">September and bankrolled by American Shaman</a>&nbsp;owner Vince Sanders and some other major hemp business owners. While the petitions have been approved to circulate for signatures, the effort has been put on pause, said Eapen Thampy, a lobbyist for American Shaman.

“Although we were successful at securing some commitments,” Thampy said, “it wasn’t to the level where we felt comfortable moving forward with a full fledged signature campaign.”

New federal regulations complicate Missouri debate over intoxicating hemp

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging motorists to prioritize safety and sobriety ahead of the 2025 Christmas holiday travel season.

The official holiday counting period begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, and concludes at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28. The MSHP reminds travelers that Missouri is a hands-free state, meaning drivers must put down their phones and remain focused on the road.

Safety remains a primary concern following last year's holiday statistics. During a much shorter 30-hour counting period in 2024, the patrol reported 295 traffic crashes statewide. Those incidents resulted in five fatalities and 133 injuries.

To further prevent tragedies, the patrol advises drivers to obey all traffic laws, adjust speeds for winter weather, and ensure every passenger is buckled up or secured in an appropriate child safety seat. Officials emphasized that there is no excuse for speeding, aggressive driving, or operating a vehicle while impaired.

Sgt. Shane Hux, with Troop H in St. Joseph says, "If your holiday plans include alcohol, just plan ahead. Make sure you have a sober driver. Don't chance it. Not only is your life at risk, but so is the life of every other motorist on the roadway."

Hux notes that even though the weather is supposed to be warm, it can change rapidly in Northwest Missouri. "Plan ahead for inclement weather. We just want everyone to have a safe holiday season."

Due to ongoing road construction, travelers are encouraged to use the MoDOT Traveler Information Map app or website to plan their routes. The tool provides real-time updates on road closures, work zones, and potential delays.

The public can report criminal activity, dangerous driving, or emergencies by calling the patrol's emergency line at 800-525-5555 or dialing *55.

Hux says all available troopers will be out working during the holiday travel period.

Missouri State Highway Patrol urges safety ahead of Christmas holiday travel

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri is trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclu-mo.org/app/uploads/2025/12/Petition-for-Declaratory-Judgment-against-HB1.pdf" target="_blank">illegally enact a gerrymandered congressional map</a>&nbsp;in violation of a century of constitutional precedent, a lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges.&nbsp;

The ACLU of Missouri filed the lawsuit in Cole County on behalf of two Jackson County residents against Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Secretary of State Denny Hoskins. At the heart of the litigation is the state’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/09/missouri-gerrymander-congressional-map-referendum/">allow the congressional map approved by lawmakers in September to take effect</a>&nbsp;despite a referendum campaign turning in 305,000 signatures to place it on the ballot.&nbsp;

The decision runs contrary to how the process has worked for more than 100 years, said Tori Schafer, director of policy and campaigns at the ACLU of Missouri.

In a statement released before the lawsuit was filed, Hanaway defended the move, saying the map will only be suspended if and when Hoskins verifies enough signatures have been submitted — a process that could take until July.&nbsp;

“Our office will continue to defend the Constitution and ensure that Missouri’s laws are strictly adhered to during this process,” Hanaway said.

If the map is allowed to go into effect, county clerks and local election boards will be asked to update voter rolls to show which district includes each voter. And it means the new map would be used for candidate filing that begins in February.

By the time signatures are verified in July, it would be too late to change the ballot for the August 2026 primaries.&nbsp;

“Given that the filing period for congressional candidates begins on Feb. 24, 2026, this is a transparent ploy to force the use of (the) new congressional map by delaying certification of the referendum’s signatures until it is too late to change the congressional map for the 2026 midterms,” the lawsuit states.&nbsp;

Historically, when a referendum campaign has submitted signatures to put a law on the ballot, that law has been immediately suspended pending a vote of the people.&nbsp;

That’s what happened in 2017, when then-Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft suspended a right-to-work law after a coalition of labor unions submitted 300,000 signatures. The law never ended up going into effect because it was defeated by voters a year later.&nbsp;

But the precedent goes back much further.&nbsp;

In 1914, the Missouri Supreme Court held that once citizens submit signatures, the challenged law is automatically suspended until voters decide its fate. The court warned that allowing a law to take effect while under referendum would gut the people’s constitutional power and turn the process into a sham.

Half a century later, the court explicitly said the purpose of a referendum is to suspend or annul a law before it has gone into effect. Allowing a law to take effect and then later be suspended, the court warned, would invite instability and confusion.

Prior to 2017, the last time the referendum was deployed was 1982. Then-Secretary of State James Kirkpatrick put a new trucking law on hold after signatures were submitted for a referendum. A lawsuit demanding immediate implementation was dismissed, and the law was repealed by voters.

Lawsuit alleges Missouri officials are ignoring constitution to enact gerrymandered map

KFEQ Morning News 12/24/2025

KFEQ Sports 12/24/2025

City of St. Joseph offices will be closed Dec. 24 and 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday.

Along with city offices, the Remington Nature Center, REC Center and JRP Activity Center will be closed as well.

The landfill will have abbreviated hours Dec. 24 from 7 a.m. - noon. The recycling center will be open Dec. 24 from 7:30 a.m.&nbsp; - 12:30 p.m. Both the landfill and recycling center will be closed all day Dec. 25.

The city of St. Joseph is wishing everyone a merry Christmas and happy holidays.

St. Joseph city offices to close for Christmas

The work at the future Buchanan County Fairgrounds continues to progress quickly to get it ready for people to utilize its facilities.  

Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner Scott Nelson says a lot of work has been done inside the old East Buchanan Middle School, which will become the activities center 

"Whether it’s the gymnasium, the kitchen, the school rooms are now going to be offices type thing, and things like that,” Nelson says on the KFEQmunnity show. 

And more work has been done at the arena, with the outside skeleton going up Nelson says, showing people what things are going to look like 

"You can see the structure of the building,” Nelson explains.  “They’re next big thing, and hopefully pretty quickly, is to get the roof on so we don’t have moisture coming from the sky that’s hitting inside the arena.” 

There has also been good community buy in for the project, shown Nelson says, from a recent work day held inside the activities center 

"46 people showed up,” Nelson says.  “Now a lof of them were FFA and 4H, probably 4H mainly, but we had a lot of people from the community and away from the community that just showed up and wanted to be part of it.” 

Nelson also says that the phone has been ringing off the hook of people interested in getting on the calendar to utilize the future fairground and activity space.   

Nelson says with the new arena that's coming, along with all the indoor space, people are intrigued by what the site can be used for 

"The fact that there is so many assets and amenities at that location, you just open up a world of opportunities in that regard, whether it’s kitchen, gym, classroom, art room,” Nelson says. 

The arena should be completed by the beginning of March, with work ready to be done on the inside. 

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

Work quickly progressing on Buchanan County Fairgrounds

Work continues on
the new St. Joseph Animal Shelter and Melanie Barnes with the Friends of the Animal
Shelter says the organization can’t wait.

“We are so excited,”
Barnes tells KFEQmmunity. “Everyone is so excited to go to a newer, larger,
more state-of-the art facility so the pets are more comfortable, we are
cleaning more efficiently, it’s in a location that maybe will attract more
volunteers, more people will want to come.” 

The current Animal
Shelter is in a cramped location on Lower Lake Road, an industrial area of St.
Joseph. Barnes says volunteers who helped out at the current shelter on Lower
Lake Road saw the need for a new shelter.

“And people said,
you know, if you were over here or if you were in a better location I would come
down all the time.,” Barnes says. “And that was the feedback we got.”

Friends of the
Animal Shelter began its fundraising campaign more than 10 years ago. A partnership
with the city nearly fell through, but negotiations revived the idea. The new
shelter is being constructed on South Belt Highway, next to the St. Joseph Recycling
Center.

Melanie Barnes
with Friends says this new shelter will be an improvement in every way.

“Can’t say enough,
like how much we needed a new facility. The one that was built in the 70s was really
just a holding place and really sad,” Barnes says. “And we’re excited to have a
lighter, happier, brighter facility and attract a lot more volunteers and,
hopefully, a lot more owners. (We) can’t do it without our donors in the
community.”

The St. Joseph
Nestle Purina factory has donated $25,000 dollars to help purchase equipment
for the onsite veterinary clinic at the new animal shelter. Barnes says Purina
was instrumental in getting the fundraising for a new animal shelter off the
ground more than 10 years ago, donating $100,000.

Purina says the donation
for vet equipment comes from its Purina Foundation, which supports
organizations dedicated to creating positive, lasting impact in Purina’s
operating communities. 

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Work continues toward new St. Joseph Animal Shelter

KFEQ Sports 12/23/2025

Missouri wasn’t able to put its best foot forward, House Speaker Jon Patterson said, because ‘leadership was very fragmented’

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jonathanshorman/">Jonathan Shorman</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Nearly a decade after Missouri lost its NFL franchise in St. Louis to Los Angeles, the state learned Monday that the Kansas City Chiefs are moving across the state line to Kansas.

The news, rumored for days, was greeted with shock and despair in Missouri, where hopes were high that a $1.5 billion incentives package approved by state lawmakers would be enough to keep the team in Arrowhead Stadium.

In the end, a much more lucrative package from Kansas won out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“This is a painful day for everyone in Missouri who loves our Chiefs,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat.&nbsp;

“A lot of us in Missouri, we feel like we’ve been incredibly loyal to the Chiefs despite all of the frustrations over decades,” Nurrenbern added. “We stuck with the Chiefs every step of the way. So this is so disappointing. I can imagine that Lamar Hunt today is rolling in his grave.”

House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, echoed the disappointment, saying Missouri entered into stadium negotiations at a disadvantage.&nbsp;

“I think money was part of it, but I think it’s also the opportunities available in Kansas,” Patterson said. “You know, Arrowhead can’t do a Super Bowl. Arrowhead can’t do a Final Four. If you have a dome stadium, those things are all possibilities, and I think that’s probably what ultimately led to the decision to move.”

Missouri wasn’t able to put its best foot forward, Patterson said, because “leadership was very fragmented.”

“Kansas leadership was very united and professional, and they just took advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said, adding: “It would be deliciously satisfying to start pointing fingers, but I hope we can avoid that right now and just look forward.”

State Rep. Mark Sharp, a Kansas City Democrat, was not ready to be so magnanimous.&nbsp;

He said years of bad decisions led to Monday’s news. Specifically, he pointed to former Jackson County Executive Frank White, who was recently removed from office after a recall vote.

White, Sharp said in a social media post, “presided over a deeply dysfunctional and adversarial approach to our professional sports teams.”&nbsp;

Sharp also cast blame on former Gov. Mike Parson for not responding to Kansas’ efforts to poach the Chiefs before leaving office and Kehoe for waiting until nearly the end of this year’s legislative session before presenting a stadium plan.&nbsp;

“This crisis did not happen by accident,” he said. “It was the result of a series of preventable leadership failures.”

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, called it “legislative malpractice” that Kehoe waited until the final days of the legislative session in May to offer a counterproposal to Kansas.&nbsp;

Kehoe said he remained hopeful throughout the process, and that negotiations with the Chiefs’ management continued into last week. His administration has been in constant communication with both the Chiefs and the Royals, and it wasn’t until Monday morning that he was informed by the Chiefs that the team was leaving.

“Harry Truman once said ‘The Buck Stops Here,'” Kehoe told reporters at a press conference. “It’s not fun to be at the top when something like this happens, but you certainly want to try to figure out what the lessons learned here are, and moving forward, we will obviously be doing a post mortem analysis.”

This is certainly a setback, Kehoe said, “but we’ll work together to recover.”

The Chief’s ownership, Kehoe said, “decided to abandon Lamar Hunt’s legacy at the iconic Arrowhead Stadium, a place that Chiefs fans have rallied around since 1972. At Arrowhead, every game feels like a Super Bowl. No new stadium will replicate that.”

Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca said he expects elected officials in the county, where the team is currently located, to take a closer look at how taxpayer money is spent during the remaining years of the Chiefs’ and Royals’ contracts to play at the Truman Sports Complex. Jackson County currently charges a ⅜-cent sales tax for stadium upkeep, generating millions a year.

“Honestly, at this point they’re like a bad ex-girlfriend. They won’t go away,” Abarca said of the Chiefs. “And so the reality that they want to try and go play second fiddle in Kansas and try and lure a deal that’s not written down on paper, good luck to them, best of luck. At this point, our taxpayers in Jackson County deserve a whole lot better commitment than what we’re getting.”

The Chiefs’ decision is “incredibly disappointing, said state Sen. Patty Lewis, a Kansas City Democrat. But it’s also a symptom of a larger problem.&nbsp;

“There are no winners in a border war, just losses on both sides,” she said. “Companies moving back and forth across the state line to reap massive tax breaks while creating no real net job growth is bad for families, bad for the region and bad for both states.”

State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, was among the lawmakers who openly opposed the incentives package for the Chiefs and Royals when it passed the legislature this summer.

“Don’t want to say ‘I told you so,’ but I warned the legislature this would happen just as it did with the Rams,” he said.

Schroer said he will be filing legislation this week “to get rid of the asinine classification of the Chiefs as Missouri’s official NFL team as it was passed just a few sessions ago. Similarly I will be getting rid of the asinine ‘handshake’ border-war resolution which says we will play nice with our neighbors next door.”

The Chiefs lease on its Kansas City stadium, which has been the team’s home since 1972, will expire after the 2030 season.&nbsp;

Missouri lawmakers reconvened during a special legislative session this summer to approve a spending package that would have allocated state taxes collected from economic activity at Arrowhead and Kauffman to bond payments for renovations at Arrowhead and a new stadium for the Royals in Jackson or Clay counties.

Estimated at just under $1.5 billion over 30 years, the funding would pay for half the costs — compared to 70% in Kansas — and included a requirement for additional local government financing.&nbsp;

The Royals first announced an intention to leave Kauffman Stadium in November 2022. The move was pitched as a way for the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman and build a covered entertainment center.

Officials in Jackson County and Kansas City began scrambling to figure out how to keep the Royals from leaving Missouri. By the spring of 2023, Clay County leaders announced interest in building a stadium in North Kansas City that could become the Royals new home.&nbsp;

The Royals solicited proposals for a downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City site a few months later, and released renderings of possible stadiums at both locations in August 2023.&nbsp;

Soon after, a poll was leaked to the media showing 70% of Clay County voters opposed a new sales tax to fund a stadium in North Kansas City. Despite weeks of media speculation, no one claimed credit for the poll, which was widely seen as an attempt to shake the confidence of Royals ownership in the viability of a Clay County proposal.&nbsp;

Critics, who called the survey a “push poll” meant to deceive the public, decried the move at the time, arguing that sabotaging any potential Missouri site would increase the chances one or both teams end up in Kansas.

It wasn’t until more than a year later that documents provided to The Independent revealed it was a political action committee formed to support Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas that paid for the Clay County polling. A staffer using a Lucas campaign email address requested the poll be commissioned, and his top aide obfuscated the spending by requesting it be referred to in disclosures as “research” instead of “polling.”

Jackson County voters were eventually presented with a proposed sales tax increase to fund a Royals stadium in Kansas City. Lucas threw his support behind the measure, but it was resoundingly rejected by voters.&nbsp;

The failed push to pay for a new Royals stadium in Missouri left the door open for Kansas lawmakers, who quickly put their own package of incentives together to lure the teams across the state line.&nbsp;

Lucas said negotiations with the team ran up until last week, and that the offer Missouri put forward was “very fair, but very responsible.” He worked closely with the governor and other local and state officials, and that work will continue as Missouri strives to keep the Kansas City Royals from leaving as well.

“While the Chiefs aren’t going far away, and aren’t gone yet, today is a setback for a Kansas Citian, a former Chiefs season ticket holder and a lifelong Chiefs fan,” he said.

As Missouri mourns the loss of the Chiefs, the fate of the Royals remains in flux.

The team is rumored to be eyeing a new stadium in Overland Park, Kansas. Lucas said Monday his hope is for a downtown baseball stadium, while other Missouri officials continue pushing for a North Kansas City site.

Nurrenbern and Patterson both said that, as far as they were aware, negotiations with the Royals are still ongoing.

News of the Chiefs decision to leave Missouri comes almost exactly 10 years after the state lost the St. Louis Rams.&nbsp;

Then-Gov. Jay Nixon was pushing for a $1 billion plan to build a new St. Louis stadium for the Rams, much to the chagrin of the legislative leadership.&nbsp;

Both sides tussled in the media and the courts, but the fight between the Democratic governor and GOP-dominated General Assembly fizzled after the Rams announced an intention to move to Los Angeles two days before the 2016 legislative session began.&nbsp;

NFL owners overwhelmingly agreed to let them do it soon after.

‘Painful day’: Missouri officials react to Chiefs announcing move to Kansas

Corn futures were higher, with trade pressing back toward the next level of nearby resistance with flat to soft spread action in a quiet session into the break. Ethanol margins are seeing a little pressure from corn gains as unleaded remains at the lower end of the range. Basis will likely remain steady to softer into the holiday weeks.

Soybean futures were higher, with meal leading the product complex heading into the break as we continue to ease oversold conditions. South American weather looks to remain mostly good into the end of the months with key growing areas in the best shape. Basis will likely remain soft into the end of the year.

Wheat futures were higher, with winter wheats leading again as KC pushes back past nearby resistance this morning and Chicago gets closer to testing its resistance as well. Southern Hemisphere harvest will start heading to the homestretch soon. Weather for the Plains looks to cool a little from the weekend with short term moisture remaining limited. On the KC March chart, support is the 20-day moving average at $5.23, which we are consolidating above, with resistance the Upper Bollinger Band at $5.40.

The live cattle complex is traded mostly lower into Wednesday's closing bell as traders had mostly checked out ahead of the holiday. And with the market's 100-day moving average still remaining a barrier, which the complex has yet to be able to challenge, a lower trend is most likely to remain the market's theme through the week's end. A few bids are currently on the table in the fed cash cattle market, but nothing sizeable has developed following Tuesday's light trade. On Tuesday, there was some light trade noted in the North at $356 to $357, which is steady to $1.00 lower than last week's weighted average, and some Southern live cattle traded at $229, which is $2.00 higher than last week's weighted average. Some light clean up trade could happen between now and Friday, but this week's trade isn't expected to amount to much.

While the live cattle complex traded mostly lower, the feeder cattle contracts moved the opposite direction of the live cattle market and traded mostly higher for the bulk of the session but faded to end narrowly mixed into the day's closing bell. It's quite impressive that the feeder cattle complex has been able to maintain its position above the market's 100-day moving average without much support from the live cattle complex.

The lean hog complex was again trading lower into Wednesday's close, after seeing the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, and with the holiday sluggishness setting in. It's likely that the market will look for reassurance fundamentally again before it challenges the resistance at $90.00.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/12/24124738/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity market daily recap

Congressional Republicans plan to revive stalled farm bill negotiations in January after failing to pass a new measure by year’s end, extending uncertainty for farmers facing high costs, inflation and trade disruptions. House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson said he hopes to schedule a committee markup ahead of a Jan. 30 funding deadline, though he acknowledged it may be difficult to attach the bill to must-pass spending legislation. The delay means Congress will enter a third year without updating major agriculture policy. Lawmakers remain divided over whether a traditional five-year farm bill is still achievable. 

Thompson and Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman say progress remains possible, even in an election year. But some policy experts are skeptical, noting recent budget legislation sharply expanded farm subsidies while cutting food assistance, weakening the longstanding political link between the two. Congress extended the 2018 farm bill for another year in November, giving lawmakers until Sept. 30, 2026, to enact a replacement.

Lawmakers divided on whether farm bill can be passed in 2026

Two railroad companies submitted a comprehensive application to the Surface Transportation Board requesting approval to combine two major freight railroads into what would be the first transcontinental railroad in America. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern filed the request late last week, representing what could be a landmark development in the U.S. They’re proposing to create a unified rail network across the nation from coast to coast. 

Reports say that the almost 7,000-page application gives a specific explanation on how the combination would enhance competition throughout the freight industry while delivering public benefits to their customers, employees, and communities across the country. The merger agreement, which outlines that Union Pacific is acquiring Norfolk Southern, was put in place on July 29, 2025, setting the stage for the regulatory application. The move isn’t without critics, as it has drawn opposition from trade groups, unions representing engineers and track workers, and rival carrier BNSF.

Historic rail merger application filed

March corn closed up 1/2 cent and May corn was up 1 cent. January soybeans closed down 1 3/4 cents and March soybeans were down 1 1/4 cents. March KC wheat closed up 6 3/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 1 1/2 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 1/4 cents.

Tuesday was, as expected, another very quiet session across row-crop futures, with markets falling from early day gains amid a lack of volume required to build momentum to break through technical ceilings. Another round of solid export data from USDA, this time for the week ended Dec. 11 offered some strength, which was countered by at least a temporary unwinding of some of the surge seen in vegetable oil markets on Monday, specifically canola and soybean oil. Palm oil futures in the meanwhile remained sharply higher. Outside markets for Tuesday saw higher equity markets after U.S. third quarter GDP was reported well above expectations and the highest quarterly growth for the U.S. economy at annual rate of 4.3%. Energy markets were mixed to higher as well.

To no one's real surprise, following Monday's stronger trade, the live cattle complex was back to trading lower as the market's resistance at its 100-day moving average remains a difficult barrier to conquer. Still no cash cattle trade has developed, and the week's volume will likely be rather thin given that it's the week of Christmas and packers will run reduced kill schedules both this week and next. Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice down $3.04 ($359.83) and select up $1.18 ($351.87) with a movement of 58 loads (38.91 loads of choice, 4.72 loads of select, 5.32 loads of trim and 8.78 loads of ground beef).

The feeder cattle complex also traded lower, again seeming to follow the direction of the live cattle complex closely. But even with the market's slight downturn, the spot March contract is still currently trading above its 100-day moving average.

The lean hog complex was rallying into Tuesday's close, waiting for the highly anticipated Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report to be shared later this afternoon. The nearby April contract is currently trading above the market's resistance threshold at $90.00, which was a significant move this morning.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/12/23140213/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

The Department of Agriculture does not plan to issue additional emergency farm aid beyond the recently announced $12 billion assistance package, even as financial stress deepens across the farm sector, said Richard Fordyce, USDA's undersecretary for farm production and conservation. The payments are intended to help producers cope with low commodity prices, elevated production costs and reduced export demand tied to ongoing trade tensions. But economists and farm advocates warn many operations may continue to struggle without further support or stronger export growth. 

U.S. agriculture has traditionally posted trade surpluses, but rising imports and slowing exports have pushed the sector into a widening trade deficit. That shift has weighed heavily on farm income, particularly for row-crop producers dependent on foreign markets. USDA officials say budget constraints and existing authorities limit the department’s ability to offer more aid in the near term. Many farmers, however, say long-term relief will depend less on direct payments and more on expanded trade opportunities.

USDA signals no additional farm aid beyond $12B Package

A new USDA labeling rule takes effect Jan. 1, tightening standards for when meat, poultry and egg products may be identified as a product of the United States. Under the regulation, finalized in March 2024, companies may use labels such as “Product of USA” or “Made in USA” only if the animals were born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States. Meat from animals imported live for feeding or processing no longer qualifies.

 Products that are minimally processed may use qualified claims, such as noting they were sliced or packaged domestically using imported meat. The rule does not require companies to use U.S.-origin labels, but any firm that does must maintain records supporting the claim. USDA will generically approve labels without additional verification programs. The regulation applies only to domestic sales, not exports. Critics warn it could strain trade ties, particularly with Canada and Mexico, and discourage imports of live animals.

'Product of USA' meat labeling rule takes effect Jan. 1

March corn closed up 3 1/4 cents and May corn was up 3 cents. January soybeans closed up 4 cents and March soybeans were up 5 1/2 cents. March KC wheat closed up 6 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 5 3/4 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 1 cent.

With the winter season officially underway, row crops kicked off Christmas week with a subdued trading session which saw mostly higher prices. Higher energy futures were the primary bullish driver for Monday with crude oil futures up for a fourth consecutive session and after hitting almost five-year lows last week, on renewed geopolitical risk premium as the U.S. has seized two Venezuelan oil tankers and is reportedly pursuing a third to start the week. Also adding to the unease is heightened Russian attacks on key Ukrainian export infrastructure, at least temporarily giving pause to what had been growing hopes for peace in that area. This gave a boost to vegetable oil markets to start the week, with soybean oil posting just the third positive session out of the past ten.

Following last week's bullish Cattle on Feed report and somewhat bullish fed cash cattle trade, the live cattle contracts traded higher into Monday's closing bell and are again trading alongside the market's 100-day moving average. Traders would like to conquer that threshold, but without knowing for sure how much fundamental support is going to remain in the market, given that it will be a holiday-shortened week both this week and next, traders remain cautious about breaking through that barrier right now. It is helpful to note boxed beef prices were higher again today, showing ample consumer support heading into the Christmas holiday. New showlists appear to be mixed, higher in Texas and Kansas, but lower in Nebraska/Colorado. Last week Northern dressed cattle traded at mostly $355 to $358, which is $2.00 to $4.00 higher than the previous week's weighted average, but Southern live cattle traded at mostly $228, which is $2.00 lower than the previous week's weighted average.

Today is the first chance that traders have had to fully react to Friday's bullish Cattle on Feed report, and they boldly continued to push the feeder cattle contracts higher, incrementally moving the contracts past the 100-day moving average. Given the strong note of higher boxed beef prices this morning, and the higher trend in the live cattle contracts, it's likely that the market will be able to maintain this rally through the day's close.

The lean hog contracts traded slightly higher into Monday's close as traders are hopeful that more support will develop and allow the contracts to trade above the resistance at $90.00. Do note that on Tuesday (tomorrow), the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report will be released.

Local

Region

Sports

Agriculture