Making grade at the NJAS

The carcass steer contest helps Angus juniors see a bigger picture of the beef industry One contest at the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) reminds youth that, ultimately, they are in the business of producing beef. The carcass steer contest gives National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members a chance to see how their animals rank for carcass merit, and just what it takes to produce high quality beef. This year the NJAS was…

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Producers may benefit from CRP Grasslands signup

By Donald Stotts  STILLWATER, Okla. – Agricultural producers could benefit from enrollment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands with improved pasture management and operations.  Producers can apply through Aug. 20. This year, the USDA updated signup options to provide greater incentives and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two priority zones. The CRP Grasslands minimum rental rate is $15 per acre, which…

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USDA Announces $500 Million for Expanded Meat & Poultry Processing Capacity as Part of Efforts to Increase Competition, Level the Playing Field for Family Farmers and Ranchers, and Build a Better Food System

USDA is announcing it intends to make significant investments to expand processing capacity and increase competition in meat and poultry processing to make agricultural markets more accessible, fair, competitive, and resilient for American farmers and ranchers. This is one of several key steps that USDA will take to increase competition in agricultural markets, pursuant to President Biden’s Executive Order on promoting competition and as part of USDA efforts to build a more resilient…

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Blanching is important part of vegetable freezing process

By Trisha Gedon  STILLWATER, Okla. – Asparagus, green beans, squash and okra are some favorites among vegetable growers. For many, those well-tended plants produce so much bounty, the family can’t eat it all before it spoils. One way to preserve that summer taste is to freeze the extra fresh vegetables.  This isn’t just a matter of plucking the vegetables from the garden and tossing them in the freezer. Before freezing, many vegetables need…

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Shop Kansas Farms helps connect consumers to Kansas producers

First Friday speaker says more than 148,000 have joined the effort MANHATTAN, Kan. – Rick McNary thought he had a great idea when he started an online group to connect America’s consumers to Kansas farm and ranch families. One year and more than 148,500 members later, it appears he was right. McNary is the founder of Shop Kansas Farms, a Facebook group that is helping to direct consumers across the country to buy locally grown…

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