Q&A

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

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

Q: How many pounds of soybeans are in a bushel?

A: Sixty pounds! In Kansas, a farmer can produce an average 39 bushels an acre.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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’s in fertilizer?

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

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: 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: How many seeds are in a sorghum plant?

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

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 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: 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 has wheat evolved?

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

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: 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...