Urban Foods Systems Symposium sessions will be online Wednesdays in October

Community engagement, food production, distribution and security among highlights OLATHE, Kan. – An educational opportunity focused on growing food for and in urban areas will be held Wednesdays in October this year. The 2020 Urban Food Systems Symposium will be online, with sessions planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT every Wednesday in October. The event typically draws community leaders, urban planners and growers, not-for-profit administrators and educators, researchers, students and anyone interested in…

Continue ReadingUrban Foods Systems Symposium sessions will be online Wednesdays in October

Ag economist: Farmers increasingly turning to non-traditional lenders

Some farmers are turning to non-traditional lenders to finance their business. (File photo) K-State’s Ifft says the trend is toward alternate ways of seeking funding MANHATTAN, Kan. – A Kansas State University agricultural economist says that non-traditional lenders are becoming a bigger part of doing business in farm country. Jenny Ifft spoke recently at the Risk and Profit Conference, hosted by K-State Research and Extension and the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics. Her…

Continue ReadingAg economist: Farmers increasingly turning to non-traditional lenders

K-State teams with state agencies to seek solutions to blue-green algae

K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and other state and local agencies are conducting a study focused on using barley straw to mitigate the effects of blue-green algae in farm ponds and lakes in northeast Kansas. | Download this photo. Study in northeast Kansas ponds shows promise HOLTON, Kan. -- In her day-to-day work as an extension agent in northeast Kansas, Jody Holthaus often gets calls from landowners looking for…

Continue ReadingK-State teams with state agencies to seek solutions to blue-green algae

Beef genetic data tools defined

K-State beef cattle specialist explains ways to effectively use data in sire selection MANHATTAN, Kan. — In any team sport, members contribute their physical strengths to help achieve the goal for the common good. It is hard for an athlete to be the best in all aspects of the game. In much the same way, bulls that excel in maternal traits are not always the ones that reach the top of chart for…

Continue ReadingBeef genetic data tools defined

Trump Administration Announces Additional $1 billion for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program

USDA Begins Issuing Agreements for Round Three (Washington – Aug. 25, 2020) – Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced up to an additional $1 billion for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The additional funding allows the program to continue critical support to farmers, distributors, and American families in need. The Farmers to Families Food Box program has provided over 70 million boxes to hungry Americans across…

Continue ReadingTrump Administration Announces Additional $1 billion for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program

K-State researchers study wheat for grazing, grain

Researchers at Kansas State University have studied the performance of 28 wheat varieties in a dual-purpose system. (File photo) Year-long study helps identify varieties ideal for dual-purpose system MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University researchers have released findings of a study to identify the best-performing varieties when producers are growing wheat for grain and grazing, known as a dual-purpose system. K-State Research and Extension wheat specialist Romulo Lollato said he and his colleagues…

Continue ReadingK-State researchers study wheat for grazing, grain

Determining record keeping priorities

Maintaining accurate records can be an important component of any beef cattle operation. | Download this photo. K-State beef cattle experts advocate for data as a valuable decision-making tool MANHATTAN, Kan. — Humans consume data daily, from knowing the latest COVID-19 counts to learning which baseball pitcher threw the most strikeouts from the mound. In sports, that data can determine which player gets called up to play. Likewise, data can also help beef producers…

Continue ReadingDetermining record keeping priorities

Kansas Forest Service tree, shrub seedling sale opens Sept. 1

Program offers species suited for Great Plains states  MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The Kansas Forest Service Conservation Tree and Shrub sale opens Sept. 1, providing landowners with a source for low-cost tree and shrub seedlings.  “Large conservation plantings can become very costly when several hundreds or thousands of plants are needed to meet the conservation goals of the landowner,” said Aaron Yoder, conservation trees specialist.  Conservation plantings may function as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, wood…

Continue ReadingKansas Forest Service tree, shrub seedling sale opens Sept. 1

Economist reviews shocks to beef industry with implications for cattle, beef prices ahead

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the beef supply chain and consumer beef demand but the industry is working through a backlog of market-ready animals. | Download this photo. K-State’s Tonsor spoke at virtual K-State Risk & Profit Conference MANHATTAN, Kan. – The beef cattle industry has already experienced three big “shocks” this year and the effects are ongoing, but have been blunted to some extent, according to a Kansas State University agricultural economist. The first…

Continue ReadingEconomist reviews shocks to beef industry with implications for cattle, beef prices ahead

K-State teams with Canadian university to apply gene editing technology for improving wheat

Kansas State University and the University of Saskatchewan in Canada will be working together to improve the productivity and nutrition of wheat. (File photo) Groups will cooperate on $650K grant from National Institute of Food and Agriculture MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University officials say a $650,000 grant from the USDA”s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has spurred a partnership with a Canadian university to improve wheat using genome editing technology. Eduard Akhunov, a…

Continue ReadingK-State teams with Canadian university to apply gene editing technology for improving wheat