Fun Facts

About two-thirds of the Kansas corn crop is used in-state as livestock feed or in food production.

Energy experts estimate global ethanol production and use reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 110 million metric tons per year. That’s equivalent to taking more than 20 million vehicles off the road.

Beef from cows and steers are used in two different ways. Cow meat is used primarily as ground beef for hamburgers and the majority of steer meat is used as steaks.

More than 87 percent of land in Kansas is farmland.

About one-third of the milk produced in the U.S. is used for making cheese.

Compared with 50 years ago, pig farmers are using 41% less water to produce a pound of pork, with a 35% smaller carbon footprint.

One dairy cow can produce more than 3,000 gallons of milk in a year. There are about 160,000 dairy cows in Kansas. That's a lot of milk!

Cotton bolls, which are the puffs of white produced by cotton plants, are technically fruit.

Drink local with milk! It takes about 48 hours for milk to travel from dairy farms to the grocery store.

The majority of oil used for cooking in our country is U.S.-grown 100% soybean oil!

About a third of a steer is used for beef production. The rest of the animal is used to make by-products found in medicines, cosmetics, detergents, insulation, and much more!

The largest market for field corn is to provide feed for animals like cattle, pigs, chicken, and even catfish. 

Enriched white bread and other enriched grain products are a good source of iron and B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid), as well as complex carbohydrates.

Kansas exports more than $4.8 billion in agricultural products per year.

Did you know corn tortillas can differ in color based on the type of corn used? Some are white and others are yellow.

Milk is one of the best sources of calcium. Our bodies absorb 28 percent of the calcium found in milk, but as little as 5 percent of the calcium found in other foods like spinach.

There are about 60-80 pods on a mature soybean plant. Each pod contains three small soybeans.

One cowhide can produce enough leather to make 20 footballs, 18 soccer balls, 18 volleyballs or 12 basketballs.

One 60-pound bushel of wheat provides about 42 pounds of white flour, enough for about 70, one-pound loaves of white bread.

Pig farmers have reduced greenhouse gas emissions on pig farms by 35% per pound of pork by changing how crops are raised, how pigs are fed, and how nutrients are recycled.

A common ingredient in fertilizer is phosphate, which comes from ancient sea life. Phosphate is one of many natural ingredients used to keep soil — and plants! — healthy.