Fun Facts

Within an hour of birth calves are up and ready to nurse. A baby calf will drink a gallon of milk a day.

Small engines like lawnmowers and boats can use E10 fuel.

One cowhide can produce enough leather to make 20 footballs, 18 soccer balls, 18 volleyballs or 12 basketballs.

Kansas is known for its sunflowers. They provide food for insects, birds and cattle, and make great cooking oil, biofuel and a delicious snack for people!

Did you know that Americans consume about 132 pounds of wheat flour per person each year?

Did you know the corn humans eat is different from the corn that cattle eat? Most of the corn people eat is sweet  corn. Cattle and other livestock eat field corn.

Dairy farmers work with animal nutritionists to create recipes that meet the specific nutritional requirements of their cows. A cow’s diet is a combination of hay, grain, silage and proteins,...

Did you know corn tortillas can differ in color based on the type of corn used? Some are white and others are yellow.

Milk is one of the best sources of calcium. Our bodies absorb 28 percent of the calcium found in milk, but as little as 5 percent of the calcium found in other foods like spinach.

Energy experts estimate global ethanol production and use reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 110 million metric tons per year. That’s equivalent to taking more than 20 million vehicles off the road.

More than 87 percent of land in Kansas is farmland.

About two-thirds of the Kansas corn crop is used in-state as livestock feed or in food production.

The largest market for field corn is to provide feed for animals like cattle, pigs, chicken, and even catfish. 

Compared with 50 years ago, pig farmers are using 41% less water to produce a pound of pork, with a 35% smaller carbon footprint.

In addition to meat, pigs provide us with lots of other products, including valves for human heart surgery, suede for shoes and clothing, and gelatin for many food and non-food uses.

About a third of a steer is used for beef production. The rest of the animal is used to make by-products found in medicines, cosmetics, detergents, insulation, and much more!

One Kansas farmer raises enough food to feed about 155 people!

Sows give birth (called farrowing) to an average of eight to twelve piglets at a time and will raise six to eight litters of piglets in their lifetime.

About one-third of the milk produced in the U.S. is used for making cheese.

Grain sorghum is one of the oldest known grains. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Africa and India.

The United States grows more soybeans than any other country and six out of every ten rows of soybeans are exported to other countries.