10 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 ...

10 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 ...

10 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 ...

10 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 ...

10 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 ...

10 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 ...

10 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 ...

10 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 ...

10 months ago
A scholarship for high school seniors pursuing careers in agriculture has been awarded. Cooper Rathbun’s earliest memories involve riding in the combine. Like many farm kids, he graduated from the buddy seat to driving the grain cart and eventually helping with equipment maintenance to make sure everything ran smoothly during one of the most critical times ...

10 months ago
Lush, green Kansas pastures, don’t happen by chance. Margit Kaltenekker, an agriculture agent with K-State Research and Extension’s office in Douglas County, said pastures provide a cost-effective food source for grazing animals – when managed correctly. “We often talk about managed rotational grazing to help landowners achieve optimum forage production and utilization,” Kaltenekker said. K-State Research and Extension ...

10 months ago
Saline of meet have reached a new record. According to the Kansas Livestock Association, the 2025 Power of Meat Report indicates a  new record for meat sales was achieved last year, reaching an all-time high of $104.6 billion. Not only did value rise nearly 5% year-over-year, but volume saw a 2.3% increase to 22.8 billion pounds ...