Fun Facts

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!

Output from Kansas agriculture has a direct economic impact of $22.5 billion per year.

Did you know there are 15,000 soybean farms in Kansas? In 2016, Kansas farmers harvested more than 4 million acres of soybeans.

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.

There are more than 300 licensed dairy herds in Kansas with about 143,000 cows total. In 2015 cows produced about 365 million gallons of milk, making Kansas the 16th largest milk producing state.

Pork tenderloin is as lean as a skinless chicken breast.

Grains can be categorized into food grains (for people) and feed grains (for cattle). Cattle eat feed grains like field corn and grain sorghum. An average of 4 ½ pounds of grain is used to produce a...

A common ingredient in fertilizer is phosphate, which comes from ancient sea life. Phosphate is one of many natural ingredients used to keep soil — and plants! — healthy.

In 2018, farmers in Kansas planted 165,000 acres of cotton, which produced about 335,000 bales!

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

For a dessert to officially be considered ice cream, it must contain at least 10 percent milkfat.

Did you know that in Kansas cows outnumber people 2-to1? There are almost 3 million people and more than 6 million cattle!

A finished bale of cotton weighs about 480 pounds.

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

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

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

Did you know Kansas has more than 2 million pigs?

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.

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

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

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.