USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program Reaches 20 Million Boxes Distributed

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced June 23 that the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed more than 20 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.“Over the past few weeks, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program has continued to pick up steam, getting food in the hands of more and more Americans while providing much needed support to our agricultural…

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OSU targets important natural resource issues through $20 million grant

By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State University agricultural and natural resource researchers will play pivotal roles in a five-year $20 million grant seeking to identify and solve the most pressing societal problems associated with water availability, land use and infrastructure in Oklahoma. The multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary grant project starting July 1 is funded through the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, better known as EPSCoR. “I anticipate seeing positive…

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K-State researchers test ways to slow pigs’ growth

Findings are important for times when markets are disrupted, such as pandemic MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University swine researchers are reporting results of a study in which they were able to help producers slow the growth of pigs during the COVID-19 pandemic while they waited for packing plants to re-open. Their findings, they say, could be important any time markets are disrupted, whether that be for a global pandemic or other industry…

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Take it Up a Notch on the National Angus Tour

Angus tour makes stops at diverse operations in the Kansas City area In the center of America’s heartland lies Kansas City, a metropolitan area that boasts a rich agricultural history. Kansas City’s roots can be traced to the establishment of the Kansas City Stockyards in 1871 and the American Royal Stock Show in 1899. Most know that tradition and agriculture have long been linked. In the modern era, livestock families have adopted new…

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K-State beef cattle experts suggest best practices for storing round bales

Rain will often cause high nutrient losses in bales stored outside MANHATTAN, Kan. — It is hay cutting time in Kansas, and once all the grass is baled it must be stored for future use. Oftentimes that is outdoors, and many producers may not fully realize the nutrient loss that comes with weathering of large round hay bales stored outside, particularly in regions of the country with high rainfall. “Thirty percent of the…

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Beef Consumption vs. Demand

Brenda Boetel, Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Economic growth projections for the US and the world have been revised downward due to the impacts of COVID-19, with many global growth projections having contractions of nearly 3%. The US is expected to have one of the largest individual country contraction rates and is expected to contract nearly 5.7%. What does this mean for the beef market? Beef is a perishable…

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Trump Administration Invests $1.6 Billion in Rural Electric Infrastructure in 21 States

Funding Includes Nearly $386 Million for Smart Grid Improvements (Washington, D.C., June 22, 2020) – The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $1.6 billion to build or improve rural electric infrastructure in 21 states (PDF, 165 KB). “Reliable and modern 21st century infrastructure, including electric infrastructure and smart grid technologies, is a cornerstone for prosperity in rural America,” Secretary Perdue said. “Under the leadership of…

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Calving Season Benchmarks

Olivia Amundson SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist Cows that calve on time are the number one indicator that cattle within that operation fit the managerial program. This happens simply from timely reproduction. Reproductive performance of an operation is important to the overall success and bottom line of that operation. Benchmarking may be beneficial as it can help focus limited management time on critical areas of an individual’s beef cow business. This year may…

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Cow Herd Options

Heather Gessner SDSU Extension Livestock Business Management Field Specialist April 2018 and 2019 blizzards caused stress to the region’s cowherds, and for some herds changed the calving distribution. 2020 brings a chance to re-establish a preferred calving distribution. Calving distribution can have an economic effect on the income received for calves in the fall, as well as a long term effect for the herd. Cattle producers have options to bunch the herd back…

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Some Ideas on Converting from Year-round Calving to a Controlled Breeding Season

Dr. Les Anderson, Extension Beef Specialist, University of Kentucky Maintaining a controlled breeding and calving season can be one of the most important management tools for cow-calf producers. A uniform, heavier, and more valuable calf crop is one key reason for keeping the breeding season short. Plus, more efficient cow supplementation and cow herd health programs are products of a short breeding season. However, converting from a year-long breeding season to a shortened…

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