Pasture and range evaluation and recovery planning workshops set for April

Cattlemen across much of Kansas are in a quandary. As grass managers, they are asking themselves how many cattle will their ranges and pastures support after twenty to thirty months of drought. What steps can be taken to protect the grazing resources while maintaining enough cattle numbers to be financially viable? Will we get enough runoff to fill the ponds?

It’s twister time again

If you've ever heard the stampeding sound of a tornado or been close enough to see fence posts, the side of a building or the steel of a grain bin twisting furiously as the dreaded black monster gobbles up the countryside, you'll remember it always.

Kansas Farm Bureau leaders take their message to the nation’s capital

More than 150 farmer and ranchers from across Kansas participated in Kansas Farm Bureau's County Presidents Trip to Washington, D.C., March 18-21.

The Drought Is Over – Right?

We all know the answer to the title of this article is no. However, the reaction of some media outside of Kansas and other drought stricken areas implied that at the very least the worst is over. While that isn't true, things are a bit better. Our area has moved from the worst rating, exceptional, to the second worst rating, extreme. This is true of much of central Kansas. Much of the eastern third of ...

Prescribed Burn Association informational meetings scheduled

Pheasants Forever and their regional partners are hosting four informational meetings for landowners to discuss the benefits of forming a local Prescribed Burn Association (PBA). Prescribed Burn Associations are landowner-led cooperatives that bring people together to assist each other with prescribed burns in rangeland and CRP. This allows individual landowners to overcome obstacles to safe burning, such as a lack of experience, equipment, or manpower. Safer burns mean reduced liability risks to landowners, less risk ...

USDA Announces General CRP Sign-up for 2013

When the 2008 Farm Bill was given a stay of execution in the "fiscal cliff" deal in January, those of us outside of the Beltway were given few details about how the extension would impact producers and conservation programs. Conservation Title programs were supposed to be back-though some would be receiving limited funding.

The Drought Is Over – Right?

We all know the answer to the title of this article is no. However, the reaction of some media outside of Kansas and other drought stricken areas implied that at the very least the worst is over. While that isn't true, things are a bit better. Our area has moved from the worst rating this week, exceptional, to the second worst rating, extreme. This is true of much of central Kansas. Much of the eastern ...

Are you ready?

Kansas farmers, ranchers and landowners the deadline to file a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan (SPCC) looms just around the corner. As of May 10, any farmer, rancher or landowner who has petroleum products of 1,320 gallons or more, in above-ground tanks 55 gallons or greater, must have a spill prevention and countermeasures plan in place as required by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Kansas NRCS renewing commitment

The Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is renewing its commitment to help Kansas farmers build healthy soils. Our vision is to improve soil quality and build healthy productive soils in order to sustain life, resources, and communities.

Kansas Wheat Commission seeks two farmers to fill at-large positions

Few wheat farmers are given an opportunity to shape the future of their industry by engaging in research, marketing and promotion efforts. The Kansas Wheat Commission, however, has an opportunity for wheat farmers to do just that.

Safety First and Safety Last

This past Wednesday, the Barton County Farm Bureau held their annual Farm Safety Day at the College for area high school juniors and seniors. Hopefully, you have read the article in the March 7th edition of the Tribune. Anyone around farming or ranching understands the potential dangers inherent in the industry, but just how dangerous is it?

Serve the American people

Ah, for those good old days when Uncle Sam lived within his income – and without most of ours.

Waste not – want not

During the last couple of decades, some environmental groups have been less than kind to agriculture. They have bombarded the public with figures on soil loss, pesticide-related mishaps and alleged failed attempts at using herbicides and other crop protectors. Their figures are oftentimes unverifiable.

Who owns this seed?

First, what a difference a little snow makes. Much of the area received a significant, heavy snowfall. This translated into over two inches of liquid moisture and in some areas about three inches for the month. So if you want to feel better, we are at about 200 percent of normal so far this year. Seriously, this moisture will really help the wheat crop and the way most of it fell and the way it is melting couldn't be better.

New Ysa class gathers in Topeka for first session

Twenty young livestock producers from across the state met in Topeka Feb. 18-19 for the first installment of the 2013 Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Young Stockmen's Academy (YSA). Merck Animal Health once again is partnering with the association to host these members for an in-depth look into KLA and the beef industry. A series of four seminars will be held throughout the year in various locations in Kansas.

Divide remains in Congress over Farm Bill, food stamps

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House and Senate Agriculture Committees laid the groundwork this week for reducing the size of the federal food stamp program, approving farm bills that would shrink food aid and alter the way people qualify for it.

Kansas CRP meetings for landowners prior to signup hosted by PF

Pheasants Forever is hosting fifty-one informational meetings across Kansas for landowners and agricultural producers in advance of the USDA Farm Service Agency's Conservation Reserve Program general sign-up that runs May 20 through June 14. Led by Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologists, landowners can learn how to increase their farm or ranch income while creating wildlife habitat in the process.

Even Animal Lovers Prefer No Rabbits in the Garden

This week, I found a column from K-State's Mary Lou Peter about the rabbits that are out and about. They may be cute hopping around in a field, but when they get into your garden, their cuteness wears a little thin.

MILC, SURE, and NAP will restart on May 8

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia announced today that farm payments, which had been temporarily suspended due to sequestration, are scheduled to resume today, May 8th. This includes payments for the 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) and the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC).

Why Does It Matter?

This is finals week at Barton and many of the other colleges around the state. For instructors it's time to evaluate what students learned over the last semester. For students it's time for that one last push to maintain or raise their grades. While faculty see testing as a method to evaluate learning and adjust accordingly, students often see testing as a way to be tortured. Students focus on the grade while faculty focus on ...

Play safe on the farm

The dream of many young farm boys and girls is to ride on a tractor. For a youngster, the mammoth tractor epitomizes raw power, responsibility and coming of age.

FFA officers installed at banquet

Soil Stewardship Week

In 1955, the National association of Conservation Districts began a national program to encourage Americans to focus on stewardship. Stewardship Week is officially celebrated from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in May. It is one of the world's largest conservation-related observances.

Small raised garden

Do you have a small backyard? Do you wish you had the space for a garden, but don't want to sacrifice your entire yard to be able to grow your favorite vegetables? Well, an option for you is to garden is a small raised bed. When you garden in a raised bed system, one of the most important things to consider is the soil that you are going to use. One of the major reasons ...

The Law of the Minimum

There isn't much to say regarding the wheat crop right now but to wait so let's go in a different direction this week. First, the Crop Protection class at the college toured the area south of the college this past Wednesday travelling as far south as the Hudson area. Normally they can examine wheat, alfalfa, and newly emerged corn. Since the weather went south pretty quickly, the tour was a bit abbreviated. It's safe to ...