6 months ago
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is awaiting confirmation on a presumptive positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock in Pottawatomie County. According to the agency, if confirmed, it would be the first case of HPAI in Kansas this fall. “If you have not yet taken steps to protect your backyard flocks, ...

6 months ago
Have you looked at the improved Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) policy lately? Farm Bureau policy supports the development and maintenance of “adequate risk management tools for livestock producers1, and judging by the numbers of animals insured withLRP, from its inception in 2003 through 2020, the LRP policy was arguably less than adequate. However, with the passing of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, several improvements ...

6 months ago
Alliance Ag & Grain is pleased to announce the launch of an apprenticeship program through Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) award-winning Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program (RKAP). “Alliance Ag & Grain is excited to partner with Kansas Farm Bureau in their Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program,” says Jeff Stockton, Alliance Ag & Grain vice president of business development. “For us, ...

6 months ago
Kansas State University is incorporating technology to help farmers grow better crops. For instance, one computer-based program compiles essential data from a field to help farmers make a decision on the best time to harvest a crop. “In many situations, allocating time resources on when to harvest is one of the critical aspects to make sure that ...

6 months ago
Kansas State University and Kansas Department of Agriculture economists are reporting findings of a study indicating that alleviating a shortage of farm labor in Kansas could boost the state’s economy by as much as $11.7 billion. “Accepting the status quo in the labor market is costly,” said agricultural economist Jenny Ifft, who is also K-State’s Flinchbaugh ...

6 months ago
If baking is a work of the heart, then Charlene Patton and Sharon Davis have been the heartbeat of the Home Baking Association (HBA) for more than two decades. The pair were honored for their work to bring baking into the homes of families during the HBA’s recent annual meeting in Sunriver, Oregon, where the ...

6 months ago
In the highly competitive world of collegiate crops judging, one university has flexed its muscle like no other: Kansas State University. The 2023 squad rolled to the national title in mid-November, winning the Kansas City American Royal Collegiate Crops Contest on Nov. 14 and the Chicago Collegiate Crops Contest on Nov. 18. K-State teams have now won ...

6 months ago
For the first time in 11 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated its Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which is historically the standard that gardeners and growers use to determine the perennial plants most likely to thrive at a location. The update, said Kansas State University nursery crop production and marketing specialist Cheryl Boyer, is ...

6 months ago
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is now accepting grant applications for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program. According to the organization, nearly $6.46 million was awarded to the agency through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service for this program. The purpose of the RFSI program is to build resilience in the ...

6 months ago
November is a great time for pumpkin spice and everything nice. Toss in a holiday centered around family and food, and this is the perfect month to celebrate National Bread Month. Behind one of the essential Thanksgiving ingredients, Kansas farmers are exceptionally adept at growing the wheat our families use to create tasty, homemade holiday favorites. From ...

6 months ago
Gathering around the table for a Thanksgiving dinner won’t take as much of a toll on your pocketbook this year compared to 2022, but the meal still reflects historically high costs. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 38th annual survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of this year’s classic holiday feast for 10, which ...