4 years ago
A national cattle identification system that was first developed at Kansas State University has received a big boost of support from one of the country's largest food companies.  Tyson Fresh Meats, a subsidiary of Tyson Foods Inc., is backing U.S. CattleTrace, a system that uses ear tags with ultrahigh frequency technologies to establish a national animal disease traceability system.   The system was first tested in ...

4 years ago
For Kansas farmers and ranchers interested in enrolling in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) or the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the deadline to submit initial paperwork has been set for Nov. 19.  “These programs are a great opportunity for farmers looking to incorporate conservation in their operations,” said Kate Hansen, policy associate for the Center ...

4 years ago
Most would agree that planning ahead is one of the best ways to meet a goal and that is true of the cow herd as well, say the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute. Speaking on a recent Cattle Chat podcast, veterinarians Bob Larson and Brad White shared why fall is a great time to perform ...

4 years ago
A year off from the Farm Food Tour allowed the event to transform to a more immersive experience for its participants. Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB) partnered with Kansas Soybean Commission to make this the seventh #FarmFoodTour. Six online influencers embarked Oct. 5 on a three-day tour across Kansas that this year included longer, individualized visits to ...

4 years ago
A University of California-Davis professor who has spent nearly two decades studying the relationship between the livestock industry and air quality told a crowd of nearly 800 at Kansas State University Monday that agriculture can be a powerful part of the solution in reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Frank Mitloehner’s nearly one-hour talk – which ...

4 years ago
Anyone who has ever lived in Kansas knows that the weather can change quickly, a fact that Chip Redmond thinks makes the Kansas Mesonet especially valuable in the state. Redmond, a meteorologist and manager of the Kansas Mesonet, said the program is working to continue spreading its multiple resources across Kansas for citizens. He noted that ...

4 years ago
A Kansas State University agricultural economist is taking a step-back approach while carving out a new way of looking at the returns of precision agricultural technology. “As an economist, I (normally) look at things like profitability – dollars and cents – and whether the benefits outweigh the costs,” said Terry Griffin, a precision agriculture economist at ...

4 years ago
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a higher loan limit will be available for borrowers seeking a guaranteed farm loan starting Oct. 1, 2021, from $1.776 million to $1.825 million. “Farm loans are critical for our customers’ annual operating and family living expenses, emergency needs, and cash flow,” FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said. “Raising ...

4 years ago
The first cohort of Casten Fellows, a program honoring the life and legacy of Jill Casten-Downing, recently returned from a successful trip visiting the Baltics. Throughout the past two years, six Farm Bureau members in Kansas have participated in the 10-part program. In addition to the opportunity to learn about agriculture and culture in another country, ...

4 years ago
Every so often I have the opportunity to visit a classroom full of elementary students and read a book to them. More often than not, I’ve accomplished my guest reading visits using virtual platforms that so many are now accustomed to using. Thanks to technology, and a decent internet connection, I’ve been able to read ...

4 years ago
The U.S. Department of Agriculture  is providing additional time for livestock and poultry producers to apply for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP). Producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing may now apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals through ...