Q&A

Q: How many farms are in Kansas?

A: There are more than 55,000 farms in Kansas.

Q: What causes wheat sensitivity?

A: There is a specific gene that causes people to develop celiac disease.

Q: Are cattle used for purposes other than food?

A: Yes! Cattle can also be used to make shoes, basketballs, gum, marshmallows, soap, medicines, glue and more!

Q: Is sorghum a starchy carb?

A: Sorghum is packed with nutrients! It’s a complex carbohydrate with lots of protein, iron, and B-complex vitamins.

Q: How does cotton get from the farm to the factory?

A: Cotton is harvested, then ginned to clean it and remove debris. Once it’s ginned, cotton is graded on quality before being sold...

Q: How many pounds of soybeans are in a bushel?

A: Sixty pounds! In Kansas, a farmer can produce an average 39 bushels an acre.

Q: What is sorghum used for?

A: In addition to food for people, sorghum can be used to feed livestock, or to make materials used in fencing, floral...

Q: What do the different colors of sorghum mean?

A: Sorghum plants come in two main colors: purple and tan. Tan sorghum can be milled into a nice white flour for gluten-free food....

Q: How much pesticide is used on crops?

A: On one acre (about the size of a football field), the amount of pesticide used is about the same as your morning cup of coffee.

Q: What are soybeans used for?

A: Soybeans can be used to feed cattle, make cooking oil and tofu, produce ink, candles, cosmetics and more.

Q: What do pigs eat?

A: Most pigs eat a diet of corn, soybeans, vitamins and minerals. Much of the corn and soybeans fed on Kansas farms will be grown by...

Q: How many seeds are in a sorghum plant?

A: A single head of sorghum can have 750-1,250 seeds.

Q: What's the proper temperature for pork?

A: Pork should be cooked to a minimum of 145 degrees. Beyond that, the level of done-ness is up to you. General guidelines are...

Q: Does wheat come from genetically engineered seed?

A: There is no genetically-modified wheat commercially available in the world’s food supply.

Q: Do farmers use chemicals on their crops?

A: Yes, farmers use chemicals to control weeds and pests, but to make sure crops are free from the chemicals, they wait a specified...

Q: How has wheat evolved?

A: Believe it or not, today’s wheat has the same genetic components as its ancient ancestors.

Q: Where does Kansas export most of its agricultural products?

A: The top import countries for Kansas agriculture are Mexico, Japan and Canada.

Q: Where does vegetable oil come from?

A: Soybeans! Check the label — there’s a good chance the vegetable oil you get at the grocery is 100 percent soybean oil. A soybean...

Q: How many pig farmers are there in Kansas?

A: There are about 1,000 hog farms in Kansas and over 90% of them are family owned.

Q: What percentage of America’s farms and ranches are family-owned?

A: A whopping 97 percent of American farms are owned by families.

Q: What’s in fertilizer?

A: Fertilizer contains nutrients that help keep soil healthy. Three main plant nutrients in fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus and...