Contents

Working together
In their family farming enterprise, Joe and Tom Dent don't argue about who owns what. The father-son team has an informal working arrangement and strives to stay on an equal footing. By James D. Ritchie

Stair-step toward efficiency
Getting dairy heifers to maturity is a critical time for sound and efficient feeding By Dr. Dan Netemeyer

Water, EPA and you
New rules from EPA are on the way but not yet final. Depending on soil types and geography, phosphorous-based manure application will affect livestock producers in markedly different ways--none of them cheap. By James D. Ritchie

The burden of benefits
During the past few years, federal farm spending has helped keep many in agriculture solvent. But one side effect has been rising cropland prices. Increased ag real estate price, it turns out, is a double-edged sword. By Steve Fairchild

Cooperatives: Do they make a difference today?
Ashley Lyon, Norborne, Mo., won the statewide public speaking contest sponsored by the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives. Here is her winning speech. By Ashley Lyon

COLUMNS:
Country corner
The arrogance of abundance makes chumps of Lewis and Clark By Chuck Lay

Crops
Late-season post-emergent herbicide options for corn By Dr. Paul Tracy

Country humor
Road rules quiz By Jack S. Bray

More country humor
Two states of Ozarkers By Mitch Jayne

Picnic take-along recipes

Viewpoint
Hog market downturn continues to hamstring producer recovery By Don Copenhaver