Program highlights for the Aug. 22 KLA/Kansas State University Ranch Management Field Day at Dorrance will include discussions about the Kansas Secure Beef Supply Plan, locust tree control and Old World bluestem.

The event will be hosted by Rusty Acres, owned by Lyman and Rosmary Nuss. Rusty Acres is a fourth generation farming and commercial cow-calf operation in Russell County. Kansas Department of Agriculture Animal Health Planner Emily Voris will talk about how cattle producers can get involved in the Secure Beef Supply Plan. 

The plan is designed to facilitate the movement of animals from uninfected sites during any potential foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. This would help maintain business continuity, including providing a consistent supply of beef to consumers. 

Cassie Kniebel with the Beef Cattle Institute at K-State will provide an update on Cattle Trace. The animal disease traceability pilot project is using scanners at auction markets, feedyards and packing plants to collect the minimal data needed in the event of a disease outbreak.

Other speakers on the program at Dorrance will include K-State extension specialist Keith Harmoney with suggestions on controlling locust trees and yucca plants, and K-State range management specialist Walt Fick outlining issues surrounding Old World bluestem. The field day at Rusty Acres will begin with registration at 3 p.m., include informational sessions and conclude with a beef dinner at 6:45 p.m. 

Other field days in the 2019 series will be held Aug. 13 at High Plains Ponderosa Dairy near Plains and Aug. 15 at Moyer Farms north of Emporia. All the field days are sponsored by the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas and Bayer Animal Health. For directions or more information, go to www.kla.org. 

Alicia Boor is the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. Contact her by email at aboor@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.