Robots, drones becoming workhorses for agriculture

K-State engineers testing capability of small vehicles to help farmers MANHATTAN, Kan. – The small, rolling vehicle looks a bit like something out of a science fiction film as it moves slowly across a barren patch of land on Kansas State University’s North Agronomy Farm. It rolls on treads similar to an Army tank, but the complicated array of attachments suggests something else. The machine, which measures 2 feet tall and 3 feet…

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Surviving to Thriving: Care for Yourself to Care for the Farm

Workshop in Hays will focus on mental health, farm crisis, nutrition and more MANHATTAN, Kan. — Women involved in agriculture should make plans to attend the “Surviving to Thriving: Care for Yourself to Care for the Farm – Women in Ag Workshop” to be held on Monday, Dec. 9 at the K-State Agricultural Research Center in Hays, 1232 240th Avenue. Registration and supper begins at 5:30 p.m. and the program will be from 6:00…

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The Cost of Overwintering Open Cows

Jordan Buerck, Research Assistant and Brenda Boetel, Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin-River Falls As winter in the Midwest begins in full force, one of the more important decisions for producers is whether or not to continue feeding open cows throughout the winter period in hopes of attaining higher market value for that animal in the spring. This decision must be analyzed based on each individual’s location and access to feed…

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Gather ‘Round the Drool Log with Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. This Holiday Season

DENVER, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the holidays, Beef. It's What's For Dinner. is releasing a new craveable Beef Drool Log video sure to "spice up" any gathering and celebration. The Beef Drool Log is a two-hour video featuring a beautiful Prime Rib Roast cooking to perfection on a rotisserie over open flame. The video pays homage to the iconic Yule Log but puts a tasty spin on it like…

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It could be time for some new (food safety) traditions

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – The holiday season is upon us and in full swing. Menus are being planned and long standing family favorite recipes will likely grace the table as family and friends gather to celebrate. This time of year can be nostalgic for some old family holiday traditions. While some of these traditions are perfectly fine, it may be time to change things up just a bit in an effort…

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Honing skills: K-State to host ‘Farm Financial Skills for Women in Ag’ workshop series

Program will be presented in 31 locations across the state MANHATTAN, Kan. – On farms large and small across the United States, the number of women making the decisions is growing. Against that backdrop and especially in view of the current struggling farm economy, Kansas State University will host a four-part series of workshops focused on helping women sharpen their farm financial management skills. More than 25,500 women are decision makers on Kansas…

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USDA Invests $41.6 Million in Rural Broadband for Missouri and Southern Iowa Families

BETHANY, Mo., Nov. 15, 2019 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Richard Fordyce today announced USDA has invested $41.6 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for rural households and farms in Missouri and Southern Iowa. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s Reconnect Pilot Program investments. “In Missouri and across the country, technology and innovation are…

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Overcoming Barriers to Entry for the Next Generation of Ranchers

By Dan ChildsSenior Agricultural Economics Consultant The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been saying for years that the average age of the American farmer is going up. The latest estimate of the average age is 59.3 years, as the baby-boom generation gets older. As a result, it has been estimated that 70% of the land in agriculture will change hands by 2031. This is a startling forecast and one worth contemplating in terms…

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Knowing Your Ranch Can Promote Accuracy in Estimating Grazeable Acres

By Josh Gaskamp, Technical Consultation Manager and Wildlife and Range Consultantand Mike Proctor, Senior Research Associate 1 Estimating grazeable acreage as well as forage availability is vital to understanding the carrying capacity of a ranch and accurately setting a proper stocking rate. Mapping software (i.e., ArcGIS) is a tool commonly used to estimate grazeable acreage for cattle, with minimal technical expertise required. With this tool, managers can use aerial imagery of their ranch…

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USDA Issues Second Tranche of Market Facilitation Program

(Washington, D.C., November 15, 2019) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the second tranche of 2019 Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. The payments will begin the week before Thanksgiving. Producers of MFP-eligible commodities will now be eligible to receive 25% of the total payment expected, in addition to the 50% they have already received from…

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