Q&A

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: 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: 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: What causes wheat sensitivity?

A: There is a specific gene that causes people to develop celiac disease.

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: 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: If I’m lactose intolerant, do I have to give up dairy?

A: No. There are a variety of ways to enjoy milk, cheese and yogurt, and get the nutrients – like protein and calcium – that...

Q: Does beef belong in a healthy diet?

A: Absolutely! A 3-oz serving of lean beef contributes less than 10 percent of calories in a 2,000-calorie diet, yet it supplies...

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 is PQA Plus?

A: PQA Plus is a farmer-driven, educational program that implements and teaches best management practices in raising and caring for...

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: 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: Is sorghum healthy?

A: Sorghum is high in fiber and potassium and low in sodium, which is great for digestion and blood pressure. It’s also rich in...

Q: How many seeds are in a sorghum plant?

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

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: 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 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 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: 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's the proper temperature for pork?

A: Pork should be cooked to a minimum of 145 degrees. Beyond that, the level of done-ness is up to you. General guidelines are...

Q: Does wheat come from genetically engineered seed?

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