Q&A

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: Who is the number #1 consumer of soybean meal?

A: Animal agriculture! That includes poultry, pigs, dairy and beef cows, sheep and more! Soybean meal is an excellent source of...

Q: How many Kansas farms are family-owned?

A: More than 50,000 Kansas farms — about 90 percent — are owned by individuals or families.

Q: How do I cook sorghum?

A: You can fix sorghum like rice or quinoa. But since it comes in a lot of forms—whole and pearled grain, flour, syrup, bran, flake—...

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 many kernels does an ear of corn have?

A: The average ear of corn has approximately 400 to 600 kernels arranged in 16 rows. Rows per ear can range from 12 to 20. On...

Q: Why can you still see cotton in the field after harvest?

A: The white patches are cotton lint. Farmers don’t harvest bark from cotton plants and some of the lint stays behind as a result....

Q: Are cattle fed unnatural corn diets in a feedyard?

A: Feedyard cattle do not eat diets made up entirely of corn. They start by eating a lot of hay and fiber, then move to a higher...

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: Does milk contain antibiotics?

A: No. Every milk tanker is tested for antibiotics. If any are detected, the entire load is dumped. So, you can rest assured...

Q: How does Greek yogurt compare to traditional yogurt?

A: Greek yogurt is strained to remove much of the liquid whey, lactose and sugar, making it thicker than regular yogurt. It can also...

Q: What is field corn used for?

A: Field corn is used to feed cattle and to make biofuels like ethanol. It can also be used in plastics, fabrics and batteries.

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: 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: Does beef belong in a healthy diet?

A: Absolutely! A 3-oz serving of lean beef contributes less than 10 percent of calories in a 2,000-calorie diet, yet it supplies...

Q: How many different GMO crops are there?

A: There are currently nine crops commercially available in the United States. They include alfalfa, canola, corn (field and sweet...

Q: What causes wheat sensitivity?

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

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: How many seeds are in a sorghum plant?

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

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.