Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Jackson County, Kansas

The Kansas Department of Agriculture, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Jackson County, Kansas. On November 13, 2019,  EAB adults and larvae were recovered from a girdled tree trap near Denison by KDA in cooperation with local citizens, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA-APHIS-PPQ), and the Kansas Forest Service. KDA sent the specimens to a laboratory with…

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U.S. Farmers Eager to Return to Global Competitiveness

The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “America’s farmers and ranchers are eager to get back to business globally.  Progress restoring our ability to be competitive in China is a key component of that and this development is welcome news. We appreciate the administration’s initiative and look forward to further progress toward resolving this trade battle. China went from the second-largest market for U.S. agricultural products…

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Top 12 Things to Consider Before Building a Cattle Handling Facility

By Robert Wells, Ph.D.Livestock Consultant The cattle handling facility is at the heart of most every ranch. The quality of the facility and its ease of use can determine the enjoyment or frustration of use and dictate how often you work cattle through it. Properly designed and thought-out facilities will be safe for the producer and animal, handle cattle with ease, require a minimal number of personnel and allow for cattle to be…

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NCBA Welcomes First Phase In U.S./China Trade Deal

WASHINGTON (Dec. 13, 2019) - National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) CEO Colin Woodall issued the following statement regarding today's announcement that the U.S. and China have agreed to a phase one trade deal: “The announcement of a phase one deal with China is welcome news for the U.S. beef industry. While we wait to learn more about the details of the agreement, we are optimistic that this positive news will bring long lasting…

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49th Annual American Gelbvieh Association National Convention Recap

Last week was a busy one for the AGA at the 49th Annual AGA National Convention in Billings, Montana. We were glad to see a great turnout for this convention! This year's convention title sponsors were SweetPro and Neogen.   The week began with an AGA Board of Directors meeting. Next on the schedule was the opening general session, which included Marty Ropp, Allied Genetic Resources as keynote speaker, the state of the…

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3 Ways to Attract More Ducks to Your Pond

By Mike PorterSenior Wildlife and Fisheries Consultant Some ponds attract more ducks, and attract ducks more consistently, than other ponds. What can be done to increase the likelihood of ducks visiting a pond? The following management strategies increase the likelihood of migratory ducks visiting a pond. Read more information about fencing ponds and water access points online: Pond FencingFloating Polyethylene Pipe for Livestock Water Access at a Fenced Pond 1. Increase water clarity.…

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Antibiotic Stewardship: Protecting Animal and Human Health

By Myriah Johnson, Ph.D.Economics Program Leader and Agricultural Economics Consultant Promoting the proper use of antibiotics in animal agriculture to preserve their efficacy for both animal and human health is of prime importance. That’s a goal of the International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA), which Noble Research Institute became a founding member of in 2018. The industry-oriented program was created by the nonprofit Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research to advance…

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K-State researchers part of coalition focused at increasing sustainability with cover crops

Kansas State University is part of a coalition of universities and other agencies that received funding to study cover crops in sustainable agriculture systems. | Download this photo. Ground-breaking research aims to enhance cover crop-based conservation tillage systems MANHATTAN, Kan. — Agriculture’s grand challenge of feeding the world’s growing population while protecting the environment just got a big boost. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) awarded eight institutions nearly $80 million…

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Farm Groups Partner to Help Farmers Manage Stress

Recognizing the high levels of stress affecting America’s farmers and ranchers, Farm Credit, American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union have partnered on a program to train individuals who interact with farmers and ranchers to recognize signs of stress and offer help. Based on the farm stress program Michigan State University Extension developed for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, this combination of online and in-person trainings is designed specifically…

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K-State researchers make progress on work with industrial hemp

In first year, they’ve found that plants produce more CBD when grown indoors HAYSVILLE, Kan. – After one year of growing industrial hemp in test plots, Kansas State University researchers say they’ve moved closer to providing guidance to producers interested in growing the alternative crop in Kansas. In April 2018, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer signed a bill enacting the Alternative Crop Research Act, leading to the legal production of industrial hemp in the…

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