Q&A

Q: Is raising beef sustainable?

A: Beef production has gotten a bad rap, but it’s more sustainable than ever with a 10% improvement in water quality, 7% reduction...

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: 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 seeds are in a sorghum plant?

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

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: What’s in fertilizer?

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

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: 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: What’s the difference between pork loin and tenderloin?

A: Tenderloin weighs between ¾-1 pound. Loin weighs in between 8-10 pounds and is used to make other loin cuts, such as chops,...

Q: How has wheat evolved?

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

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Do dairy farmers use sustainable practices on their farms?

A: Producing a gallon of milk today requires 90 percent less cropland, 65 percent less water, and has a 63 percent lower carbon...

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: 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: 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...