3 years ago
Moving is stressful — whether to a new school, job or town. In much the same way, a change of environment will cause beef cattle to be stressed, said the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute on a recent Cattle Chat podcast. “When cattle are stressed, the first thing they do is urinate and defecate, which ...

3 years ago
A Kansas State University postdoctoral student is conducting research to update the swine industry’s production standards, a project he said will aid producers in formulating pig diet formulation and safety. Jamil Faccin, a veterinarian and researcher in K-State’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, said it has been 10 years since the National Research Council published ...

3 years ago
In Kansas, the average age of an agricultural producer is 58.1 years old, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The same report indicates 66% of those who farm in the Sunflower State are more than 55 years old. What that means, says Ashlee Westerhold, is that “most of our farmers or ranchers could retire sometime in ...

3 years ago
Sarah Maass, whose professional career in 4-H and youth development spans nearly a quarter-century, has been named the state leader for the Kansas 4-H Youth Development program, effective Nov. 13. Since 2007, Maass has been the 4-H Youth Development agent in the Central Kansas District, covering Ottawa and Saline counties. She was the Lyon County 4-H Youth ...

3 years ago
The leader of one of America’s largest food and agriculture companies said Oct. 11 the country’s farmers should be celebrated for their crucial role in providing food security, even if their work is sometimes overlooked. Beth Ford, president and CEO of Land O’Lakes, Inc., was the featured guest for the Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems lecture series, held at ...

3 years ago
Persistent drought after harvest and delayed planting could indicate a lower risk of Wheat Streak Mosiac Virus this year. Still, experts caution producers to continue monitoring and managing volunteer wheat as they plant this fall. “Right now, we’re thinking that there is a slightly lower risk of wheat streak heading into fall planting. This is largely ...

3 years ago
Any good carpenter has a wide range of tools in the toolbox to get the job done, and in much the same way, cattle producers have a vast set of options to keep disease from coming onto the farm, said the experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute on a recent Cattle Chat podcast. “One of ...

3 years ago
Researchers in a Kansas State University innovation lab that develops technologies to improve the resiliency of sorghum and millet production have received $750,000 to spur the crops’ production and value in Madagascar. Officials with the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Sorghum and Millet (SMIL) said the project will take a look at every aspect ...

3 years ago
Kansas Farm Bureau has purchased Shop Kansas Farms, an online community that connects consumers with Kansas farmers and ranchers. “Kansas Farm Bureau is excited about this partnership and what it means to current and future users of Shop Kansas Farms,” Terry Holdren, CEO of Kansas Farm Bureau, says. “Shop Kansas Farms was born during COVID-19 shutdowns ...

3 years ago
Fall has brought a resurgence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) nationwide, and this week the Kansas Department of Agriculture identified HPAI in two Kansas counties: Johnson County and Neosho County. Both new HPAI locations are in non-commercial mixed species flocks, and KDA is working closely with USDA–APHIS on a joint incident response. KDA officials quarantined ...

3 years ago
Soil scientist Dorivar Ruiz Diaz says soil sampling in the fall is a farmer’s best friend when it comes to maximizing next spring’s investment in fertilizer. “With high fertilizer prices, it’s particularly important to have accurate information on the nutrient levels in our (cropland) soils,” he said. He said farmers should be aware that that dry conditions ...