3 years ago
Figs aren’t a popular fruit to grow in Kansas, but Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham says it can be done. More hardy varieties can withstand the state’s cold winters and produce fruit by the following fall, he notes. “Most fig trees are only hardy (until temperatures reach) 12 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, though some ...

3 years ago
While triple-digit yields may have seemed impossible during this year’s drought, Kansas wheat producers exemplified how the right combination of genetics, management and luck pay off with the winning entries in the 2022 National Wheat Yield Contest. According to the Kansas Wheat Commission, national and state winners were recently released by the National Wheat Foundation, which ...

3 years ago
A lack of a skilled agriculture workforce is a top inhibitor of growth and expansion for many Kansas agriculture entities. To help support growth in agriculture, the Kansas Department of Agriculture seeks to help the industry better understand workforce needs among agricultural employers in the state. According to the agency, to link the supply of human ...

3 years ago
Many start their day with a multivitamin to supplement their diet in hopes of being as healthy as possible. In much the same way, mineral supplementation can overcome deficiencies in the grasses that cattle graze, said the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute. Speaking on a recent Cattle Chat podcast, the beef cattle experts stressed the ...

3 years ago
When the Hilmar Cheese Company announced in May 2021 that it would be building a cheese and whey processing plant south of Dodge City, it marked another major success for the Kansas dairy industry. Hilmar’s facility, which is expected to be operational in 2024, will create 247 new jobs. The project and associated dairy farms needed ...

3 years ago
Natural hearing loss comes with age, but exposure to a loud environment -- common in agriculture -- can cause noise-induced hearing loss, said a pair of Kansas State University safety experts. Loud machinery, equipment and even animals can play a role in hearing loss related to farming and ranching, said Brad Dirks, associate director of the ...

3 years ago
Are you a farmer, rancher or forest manager? Please share your vital feedback with USDA by taking a nationwide survey at farmers.gov/survey! The survey is completely anonymous, will take about 10 minutes to complete, is available in multiple languages, and will be open until March 31, 2023. The survey focuses on gathering feedback about the Farm Service ...

3 years ago
An agriculture form is planned at Fort Hays State University. According to FHSU, Kansas District 110 Representative Ken Rahjes and Dr. Grady Dixon, Dean of the Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics at Fort Hays State University, will host a day of discussion on the future of agriculture in western Kansas. The forum will take ...

3 years ago
No matter whether it is a pet or livestock, an animal dying unexpectedly is sad and concerning. It often leaves owners with questions about what happened and whether other animals will be impacted. To get to the bottom of what is going on, Kansas State University beef cattle veterinarians emphasize the importance of a producer working ...

3 years ago
For farmers and ranchers in Kansas, drought concerns are always looming, so community conversations about conservation and water use are ongoing and vital. Concerns are ever present about ponds dwindling to muddy puddles, and recently irrigators learned that the Ogallala Aquifer – a main water source for the state – declined last year by an astounding ...

3 years ago
Kansas agriculture has been impacted significantly by the drought conditions across the state, but Kansas State University water resources engineer Jonathan Aguilar said a web-based application can help farmers plan for the future.  The K-State Mobile Irrigation Lab includes a crop water allocator to help farmers with limited water resources maximize their return, according to Aguilar. With ...