Q&A

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: 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’s in fertilizer?

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

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 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 farms are in Kansas?

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

Q: Is sorghum healthy?

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

Q: How many seeds are in a sorghum plant?

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

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: Are cattle used for purposes other than food?

A: Yes! Cattle can also be used to make shoes, basketballs, gum, marshmallows, soap, medicines, glue and more!

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: 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: 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: 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 much land is an acre?

A: An acre is a measure of area. It can be any shape as long as it equals 43,560 square feet. Engineers typically use 100,000 square...

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 do pigs eat?

A: Most pigs eat a diet of corn, soybeans, vitamins and minerals. Much of the corn and soybeans fed on Kansas farms will be grown by...

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: 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: 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 kernels does an ear of corn have?

A: The average ear of corn has approximately 400 to 600 kernels arranged in 16 rows. Rows per ear can range from 12 to 20. On...