Q&A

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: 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: 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 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: Who is the number #1 consumer of soybean meal?

A: Animal agriculture! That includes poultry, pigs, dairy and beef cows, sheep and more! Soybean meal is an excellent source of...

Q: How many farms are in Kansas?

A: There are more than 55,000 farms in Kansas.

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: Does wheat come from genetically engineered seed?

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

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: Is sorghum healthy?

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

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 is field corn used for?

A: Field corn is used to feed cattle and to make biofuels like ethanol. It can also be used in plastics, fabrics and batteries.

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: 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: 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: Where does Kansas export most of its agricultural products?

A: The top import countries for Kansas agriculture are Mexico, Japan and Canada.

Q: Is flavored milk a good choice for kids?

A: Yes. Chocolate and other flavored milks contain the same nine essential nutrients as white milk, and they are a healthful...

Q: What does 'GMO' mean?

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

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: 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...