Q&A

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: Is flavored milk a good choice for kids?

A: Yes. Chocolate and other flavored milks contain the same nine essential nutrients as white milk, and they are a healthful...

Q: What causes wheat sensitivity?

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

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: Can family farms be owned by corporations?

A: Not exactly. Some families might incorporate their farms for tax purposes, but for the most part these farms are multi-...

Q: How many seeds are in a sorghum plant?

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

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

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

Q: Do farming and ranching overlap?

A: Farming and ranching go hand-in-hand. Cattle, hogs and other livestock eat a lot of the crops grown here like field corn,...

Q: Is it safe to eat beef from cattle treated with antibiotics?

A: Yes. When an animal gets sick, farmers, ranchers and veterinarians carefully evaluate the administration of antibiotics and use...

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: 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: 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: 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: Is dairy good for you?

A: Dairy products have calcium to keep our bones strong. It also provides many other essential nutrients, helps control diabetes and...

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: Does wheat come from genetically engineered seed?

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

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: Why is soil health important?

A: Healthy soil is full of nutrients that help plants grow. Without those important nutrients, farmers wouldn’t be able to raise our...

Q: What is PQA Plus?

A: PQA Plus is a farmer-driven, educational program that implements and teaches best management practices in raising and caring for...

Q: Is sorghum healthy?

A: Sorghum is high in fiber and potassium and low in sodium, which is great for digestion and blood pressure. It’s also rich in...

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....