The Missouri Plan (Balanced Farming)

Abstract

THE Missouri Extension Service taught individual farm practices, as did all state colleges, until 15 years ago when the need became apparent for a system of farming that would tie together all of the good practices recommended by the college for a farm in a way to give the greatest net income consistent with continuing improvement of the soil. Throughout the years certain farmers have specialized in beef cattle production and perhaps failed to improve their pastures, and others specializing in crop production failed to receive high net income because of poor feeding practices. The college, with its traditional 12 to 14 departments and Extension specialists for each, undertook to save the farmer by teaching the individual practices, leaving it to the county agent or the farmer to tie these practices together, if any attempt along that line was made. This idea of developing a system of farming, called in many states Farm and Home Planning, is called Balanced Farming in Missouri. The objective has been to achieve a balance between input and outgo of soil fertility; between type of soil and crops; between pasture and crops and the livestock system; between the livestock system and the desires and abilities of the operator and his labor supply; between net income and the needs of the farm family; between good planning, hard work and a comfortable, attractive home. The Balanced Farming program has been handled largely by a committee of specialists and supervisors, with a soils specialist as chairman. The program does not belong to the farm management or any other department. Each specialist has an opportunity to push his line of work to the limit but does so in cooperation with other specialists in developing systems of farming. The dairy specialist has come to recognize that the dairy farmer will not succeed unless the soil is improved to enable an abundance of good feed to be grown for low cost production. Crops and soils specialists recognize that improving the soil and growing an abundance of feed is of no avail unless there is good livestock management to get the most dollars out of the increased feed production. Back in 1936, 22 specialists and supervisors spent four days in