By Brian Consiglio
Cattle wearing virtual fencing collars at Mizzou’s Beef Research and Teaching Farm.
April 7, 2026 Contact: Brian Consiglio, consigliob@missouri.edu Photos by Abbie Lankitus
The University of Missouri is scaling up the use of virtual fencing, a cutting-edge agricultural technology that’s gaining attention among livestock producers and state officials.
Thanks to a $3.7 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Mizzou’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture will help hundreds of livestock producers in Missouri and Nebraska save time and labor with GPS-enabled collars for their cattle.
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Virtual fencing collars guide cattle to fresh grazing fields with a variety of cues. Once their cattle are collared with the new technology, producers simply draw their virtual boundaries on a mobile app or computer and activate their interior “fences” with the press of a button. That reduces the time producers need to spend tearing down and rebuilding physical fences to move cattle to different pastures.
The grant involves collaring the cattle of 200 livestock producers in Missouri and Nebraska who collectively manage around 150,000 acres.
“Not only are we giving producers time back in their day by eliminating the time- and labor-intensive process of constantly moving interior fences, but we are also helping them be good stewards of the land by improving the sustainability and profitability of beef production,” Rob Myers, the center’s director, said. “I heard from one producer who is getting nearly double the value from each acre of land after switching to virtual fencing because his cattle are now eating all the cover crops in one field before moving on to the next field. He loves redrawing the boundaries on his phone.”
Beefing up impact
Myers and his team initially tested the technology in partnership with five Missouri producers. The latest grant will allow the center to expand the project by collaring the cattle of 200 livestock producers in Missouri and Nebraska who collectively manage around 150,000 acres. The award is part of $32.8 million in initial grants announced by NFWF as part of the new Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative, supported by funding from McDonald’s USA, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and several key McDonald’s USA beef and beverage suppliers.
Virtual fencing collars guide cattle to fresh grazing fields with a variety of cues.
The grant provides incentive payments directly to producers who adopt the virtual fencing technology, which can also be used to protect streams, rivers and other sensitive landscapes. Additionally, Myers and his team will help producers improve their watering systems and plant native forages, boosting sustainability and profitability.
“The grass in most Missouri pastures is tall fescue, which is not native to the U.S.,” Myers, an extension professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, said. “So, by having native plants also be part of livestock grazing, that extends the grazing season, and it’s great for soil health and wildlife.”
Stewards of the land
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The center’s goals — to build more integrated approaches to regenerative farming and develop more resilient food systems — are deeply personal to Myers.
He grew up on a farm in Illinois, seeing firsthand the downsides of soil erosion and the benefits cover crops — plants that enrich soil and hold it in place — had on the farm’s corn and soybeans.
“As a boy, I remember seeing the positive impact cover crops had on soil health, which sparked my interest in regenerative agriculture,” Myers said. “That’s something I’ve been passionate about ever since.”
Myers added that the virtual fencing project is an example of Mizzou’s efforts to improve rural communities by prioritizing engagement.
“At Mizzou, we’re not only doing research; we’re helping society directly benefit from the research through our extension, education and community outreach efforts, and that is what a flagship university is all about,” Myers said. “One of the major challenges in agriculture today, particularly in the Midwest, is how to keep the soil as productive and resilient as possible. I’m very motivated to help producers adopt best practices in regenerative agriculture so they and the next generation of producers will be successful in the long run. And we think virtual fencing can play a big role in that.”
A veteran St. Louis journalist was killed in a freak accident Thursday when two tires came flying off a tractor-trailer and crashed through the roof of his vehicle.
Local media mainstay Ray Hartmann, 73, was driving eastbound on I-64 near I-270 in St. Louis when two tires went airborne after zooming off a tractor-trailer ahead of him and struck the roof of his car around 2 p.m., KMOV reported, citing the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Hartmann died at the scene of the freak accident, according to a statement issued by his long-term friend and attorney, Andy Leonard, 5 On Your Side reported.
Veteran St. Louis journalist Ray Hartmann, 73, died in a freak accident involving a tractor-trailer on Thursday. Dignity Memorial
“The news covered the accident last night, and I can confirm that Ray was in his car when a tire crashed through his windshield. We believe that he died at the scene,” Leonard said in the statement.
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He is survived by his wife, Kerri Hartmann, and their two children, Ben and Brielle, who were each away at college at the time of the accident.
“It’s such a tragic loss. He was dearly loved. We’re going to miss him so much,” Kerri Hartmann told 5 On Your Side in a statement.
Hartmann was a much-loved mainstay within St. Louis media for almost 40 years, making his mark in print journalism first before moving in front of the camera.
He is known for founding the Riverfront Times and St. Louis Magazine and for spending nearly four decades on Nine PBS’ debate program, “Donnybrook,” which he co-founded in 1987.
He took a step back from the media in 2024 to run for Congress in Missouri’s 2nd District. He won the Democratic primary but lost to incumbent Ann Wagner, according to 5 On Your Side.
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Hartmann was driving eastbound on I-64 near Interstate 270 when two tires went airborne after flying off a tractor-trailer and struck the roof of his car. KMOV
“His departure was too soon,” said Charlie Brennan, Hartmann’s long-term friend and host of “Donnybrook.”
“I think he had books to write, columns to write, causes to champion, and I’m very sorry that he’s not going to be around to get to those,” he said.
Fellow panellist Alvin Reid said that the late journalist was determined to make a difference in the Gateway City, no matter what show he was on.
“Ray was determined to make a difference in St. Louis. He wanted to make a difference on every show,” Reid said.
“As long as we do this show, Ray will be a part of this show and a part of St. Louis,” he said.
Even with his illustrious and accomplished career, Hartmann’s colleagues remembered him first and foremost as a proud husband and father.
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“I’m already missing him,” Reid said. “I really do feel like I’m talking about Ray in the present. I can’t believe I’m talking about Ray in the past. That hasn’t really hit me yet.”
The investigation into Thursday’s fatal crash remains ongoing.
The Midwest is bracing for severe weather on Monday, including the threat of the excessive rainfall, hail damaging wind gusts and tornadoes.
Missouri, Illinois and Indiana face the greatest risk of severe storms. Scattered large hail, flooding, severe and damaging winds, and strong to intense tornadoes could develop across the region, the National Weather Service said.
“Storms will intensify Monday afternoon and continue into the night, increasing the risk across a heavily populated part of the region,” said Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist. “The St. Louis area is in the heart of the zone facing the greatest potential for strong, long-track tornadoes.”
The St. Louis metro is under a flood watch, while parts of central Illinois are under a severe storm warning and tornado warning.
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The severe weather is forecast to shift eastward on Tuesday, according to AccuWeather, bringing a threat of damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes to parts of Texas and the Ohio Valley.
A pair of tornadoes killed two people in north Texas over the weekend. An EF-2 tornado in Wise County led to one fatality and six injuries and caused significant damage across multiple neighborhoods, according to County Judge J.D. Clark.
A separate tornado in Parker County left one dead, the county sheriff’s office said.
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Thousands are without power across mid-Missouri after Sunday night’s storms.
As of 1 a.m. on Monday, more than 7,600 were without power across the state, according to poweroutage.us. More than 1,800 of those customers were in mid-Missouri.
681 customers were without power in Camden County and 637 customers were affected in Pulaski county. In Benton County, 581 customers were without power as of Monday morning.
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Jasper County customers were the most affected by Sunday night’s storms, with more than 2,900 without power as of 1 a.m.
Get the latest weather updates on your mobile devices by downloading the First Alert Weather App for Apple and Android.
