Q&A

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: 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: How much pesticide is used on crops?

A: On one acre (about the size of a football field), the amount of pesticide used is about the same as your morning cup of coffee.

Q: How has wheat evolved?

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

Q: Why don’t I see sorghum at the store?

A: Many consumers are becoming more interested in ancient grains that are non-GMO, gluten-free, healthy,and environmentally friendly...

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: 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 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: 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: 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 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: 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 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: What does 'GMO' mean?

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

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: What’s in fertilizer?

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

Q: Is sorghum healthy?

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

Q: Does milk contain antibiotics?

A: No. Every milk tanker is tested for antibiotics. If any are detected, the entire load is dumped. So, you can rest assured...

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 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: 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...