Missouri and the World
Automation is rapidly transforming Missouri’s manufacturing sector, reshaping job roles, enhancing productivity, and attracting significant investments.
Here’s an in-depth look at how automation is influencing the state’s industrial landscape. [Read more…] about Inside Missouri’s factories: How automation is transforming manufacturing jobs
Automation is quietly but steadily transforming the job landscape across Missouri – from advanced manufacturing plants in suburban South County to sheltered workshops in rural communities.
While much of the national debate focuses on whether robots will take people’s jobs, the reality in Missouri is more complex: some roles are being displaced, but others are being created, and entire industries are being reshaped. [Read more…] about How automation is changing jobs in South County and across Missouri
Missouri, the 19th most populous state in the US, boasts a population of approximately 6.28 million as of 2025. The state’s largest cities include Kansas City (510,704 residents), St. Louis (281,754), Springfield (170,188), and Columbia (129,330).
Economically, Missouri is diverse, with key industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and technology. [Read more…] about How AI is reshaping Missouri’s jobs market
John Deere, the world’s largest agricultural vehicles manufacturer, is investing $13.5 million to expand its Strafford, Missouri “remanufacturing” facility by 120,000 square feet.
Kevin Schrag, the factory manager, sums it up perfectly: “That’s a pretty big deal!” [Read more…] about John Deere invests $13.5 million in Strafford, Missouri facility
Missouri’s economy, like much of the United States, is at a crossroads. On one hand, job openings abound in nearly every industry.
On the other, businesses – from farms to factories – are struggling to find enough people willing to work. The result is a paradox that’s defining the post-pandemic era: a labor shortage in the midst of economic opportunity. [Read more…] about How and why Missouri and America is grappling with a labor shortage
By South County Mail Staff Writer
As global markets continue to tumble in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs, industries across Missouri – from soybean fields to factory floors – are bracing for impact.
The tariffs, which have triggered retaliation from key trading partners like China and the European Union, are expected to hit especially hard in states like Missouri that rely heavily on exports, manufacturing supply chains, and freight logistics. [Read more…] about Missouri at risk: How Trump’s tariffs could hit farming, manufacturing, and logistics
Tariffs are taxes placed on goods that are imported from other countries. When the US government imposes tariffs, it’s essentially making those foreign goods more expensive. The idea is to encourage Americans to buy more products made in the US.
Governments typically use tariffs to:
While tariffs might protect certain American industries in the short term, they often lead to:
Tariffs can be helpful in some cases, but they also carry serious risks – especially when they’re used on a large scale or without coordination with allies.
By South County Mail Staff Writer
Global markets took a nosedive late last week after former President Donald Trump announced a sweeping new set of tariffs – and the financial shockwaves are being felt from New York to Missouri.
The US stock market saw its worst losses in years on Friday, with the S&P 500 dropping 6 percent, the Dow Jones falling 5.5 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq losing nearly 6 percent. As markets open this Monday morning, April 7, investors across the country – including here in South County – are bracing for more potential losses. [Read more…] about Trump’s new tariffs send markets into freefall: What it means for Missouri and the nation
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley has voiced strong support for former President Donald Trump’s newly announced trade policy, which includes sweeping tariffs aimed at addressing what Trump describes as an “economic emergency”.
On Thursday, Trump unveiled a broad proposal that would impose elevated tariffs on dozens of countries with significant trade surpluses with the United States.
The plan includes a blanket 10 percent tax on all imports, as well as targeted increases such as a 34 percent tariff on Chinese goods and a 20 percent tariff on imports from the European Union, according to the Associated Press. [Read more…] about Senator Hawley backs Trump’s new tariff plan, calls it ‘a win for Missouri workers’
According to a recent Forbes report, Pauline MacMillan Keinath has become Missouri’s wealthiest billionaire.
Born on July 31, 1934, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, Keinath is the great-granddaughter of William Wallace Cargill, the founder of Cargill, the largest private company in the United States. She inherited a 9 percent stake in the company, which, as of June 2024, is valued at approximately $8.2 billion.
Keinath resides in St. Louis, Missouri, with her spouse and four children. In addition to her business interests, she has been involved in political contributions. [Read more…] about Missouri has a new richest person: Pauline MacMillan Keinath
