8 months ago
When an athlete is aiming to improve their performance, they begin with a starting measurement, and as they train, they continue to assess their abilities to measure progress. For cattle producers, that scorecard may include pregnancy percentages, the number of calves weaned and, in some cases, death loss. This was a topic of discussion on a ...

8 months ago
Americans trust the safety and security of their food. Kansas State University plant pathologist Jim Stack says our trust is well-founded, pointing to a series of checks and balances that help to ensure that the food we eat arrives safely and on time at the dinner table. Consider this: Farm crops — be they wheat, corn, soybeans, sorghum or ...

8 months ago
See a need, fill a need. That was the vision of the Kansas wheat farmer who first proposed donating surplus Kansas grain to people in need around the world. Today, U.S. food aid programs continue to serve this goal, using about one million metric tons (36.74 million bushels) of U.S. wheat annually. Kansas Wheat CEO Justin ...

9 months ago
Since their implementation many decades ago, concentrated animal feeding operations have continued to sustain meat and dairy industries by providing a steady flow of livestock for food chains for home and consumers abroad. Contrary to popular belief, Kansas State University extension livestock specialist Joel DeRouchey recently said on the Agriculture Today radio program that CAFOs present a more ...

9 months ago
May is Mental Health Month, and Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB) remains committed to supporting farmers, ranchers and other rural residents facing stress through resources available at www.kfb.org/ruralmindsmatter. Building on last year’s success, KFB is again recognizing outstanding mental health advocates with the Rural Minds Matter Advocate of the Year and Young Advocate of the Year awards. After ...

9 months ago
Beef is Kansas’ top contributor in output to the state’s economy at $11.7 billion, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA). Additionally, the sector supports the most jobs—direct, indirect and induced—in the state at more than 38,600. In recognition of beef’s impact on Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly once again has declared May as Beef ...

9 months ago
A second round of payments are coming week for specialty crop producers through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, providing up to $1.3 billion in additional program assistance. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agency's Farm Service Agency (FSA) already delivered just under $900 million in first round payments to eligible ...

9 months ago
Kansas State University's Climate Resilient Cereals Innovation Lab continues work after federal funding resumed earlier this month. The innovation lab aims to help double the world's food supply by 2050 through crop production improvements for four of the world's most important cereals: sorghum, millet, wheat and rice. All four crops are grown in the United States, and more ...

9 months ago
As wheat fields approach the boot growth stage in southeast Kansas and flag leaf stages in the north-central part of the state, stripe rust weighs on many growers’ minds. Stripe rust, a fungal disease, is an annual concern, and this growing season’s weather conditions provides a prime opportunity for it to cause havoc. It’s left growers ...

9 months ago
Each April, many business owners evaluate their annual spending at the time they submit their taxes. Like their fellow business owners, many cattle ranchers are seeing an increase in their input costs and looking for ways to minimize expenses. To offer some advice on how to manage the ranch expenses, K-State beef cattle extension specialist Jason ...

9 months ago
A year-over-year drop in oil prices is a sign that farmers may get a modest break in the price they will pay for diesel fuel this summer, says Kansas State University agricultural economist Gregg Ibendahl. “Last year about this time, oil prices were in the $70 range, but have since declined and now are in the ...