Q&A

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: 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: 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 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 sorghum healthy?

A: Sorghum is a grain that’s high in protein, fiber, iron and antioxidants. It’s also gluten free. 

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 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: 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: Are there antibiotics in the milk I buy?

A: No. Dairy producers ensure traces of antibiotics don’t enter our food supply. All farm milk is tested multiple times before it...

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: 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: 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: Does wheat come from genetically engineered seed?

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

Q: What does 'GMO' mean?

A: “GMO” stands for genetically modified organism. Both traditional plant breeding and genetic engineering involve altering the...

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: 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: 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’s in fertilizer?

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

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...