K-State beef cattle experts share the pros and cons of retaining heifer calves born to first-calf heifers

<a href="mailto:lmoser@ksu.edu">By LISA MOSER </a>K-State Research and Extension news service

Working in agriculture often involves a series of decisions, including which crops should be planted in a rotation, what inputs are most economical, and -- in the case of rebuilding the cow herd -- should replacement females that were born to first-calf heifers be retained?

This was the question that the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute experts addressed on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattlechatselectingareplacementfemalefortheherd">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast episode.

“There are a lot of factors that go into that decision as to whether or not keeping heifers born to heifers is a good idea, and it depends on the goal of the breeding program,” said K-State veterinarian Brad White.

White said with proper planning, beef producers can make retaining heifers born to heifers work for a herd. He said that if producers plan to do that, they need to plan and select sires that are adequate for calving ease but also offer maternal traits that are beneficial.

“I like to keep heifers born to first-calf heifers if they are born early in the breeding season and they are born to a mating that was genetically planned to create replacement females,” White said.

K-State veterinarian Bob Larson agreed, adding, “there are some AI (artificial insemination) sires that have good maternal traits while being adequate for calving ease that can make females worth considering as replacements.”

K-State nutritionist Phillip Lancaster sees one other genetic advantage of keeping replacement females born to first-calf heifers.

“I am going to boost the genetic progress of the herd overall much quicker by keeping the daughters of the youngest females in the herd,” Lancaster said.

However, Lancaster also said that it is important to look at the performance of the cow family that these potential replacement heifers are born from when making this decision.

“Take a look at the records and if that heifer is born to a proven cow line in terms of longevity and reproductive performance, that will help you make the decision about keeping the heifer calf that was born from a heifer in the herd,” Lancaster said.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/77cb095d-d35e-4998-ab3f-3bd91c9b0301">Cattle Chat: Helping heifers ahead of breeding</a>

Another factor to consider is the frame size of the replacement female being considered, said K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers. The size concern relates to the pelvic size of the calf when she matures and is bred to calve her first calf.

“Some daughters born to calving ease sires may be predisposed to future calving difficulty due to their smaller frame size,” Larson said.

Lubbers also said the timing of when they were born as compared to the rest of the herd is something that should factor into the decision of keeping or selling that heifer calf.

“If the heifer calf was born late in the breeding season and she is small framed, then I would recommend producers do not retain them in the herd.”

To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattlechatselectingareplacementfemalefortheherd">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712150087384.jpeg" alt="Retaining heifers born to first-calf heifers is one way to make genetic progress, said experts at the K-State Beef Cattle Institute. Image Courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Retaining heifers born to first-calf heifers is one way to make genetic progress, said experts at the K-State Beef Cattle Institute. Image Courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>K-State beef cattle experts share the pros and cons of retaining heifer calves born to first-calf heifers</h2><a href="mailto:lmoser@ksu.edu">By LISA MOSER </a>K-State Research and Extension news serviceWorking in agriculture often involves a series of decisions, including which crops should be planted in a rotation, what inputs are most economical, and -- in the case of rebuilding the cow herd -- should replacement females that were born to first-calf heifers be retained?This was the question that the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute experts addressed on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattlechatselectingareplacementfemalefortheherd">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast episode.“There are a lot of factors that go into that decision as to whether or not keeping heifers born to heifers is a good idea, and it depends on the goal of the breeding program,” said K-State veterinarian Brad White.White said with proper planning, beef producers can make retaining heifers born to heifers work for a herd. He said that if producers plan to do that, they need to plan and select sires that are adequate for calving ease but also offer maternal traits that are beneficial.“I like to keep heifers born to first-calf heifers if they are born early in the breeding season and they are born to a mating that was genetically planned to create replacement females,” White said.<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6yU87CbpfHVzUnUymYiJtO?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>K-State veterinarian Bob Larson agreed, adding, “there are some AI (artificial insemination) sires that have good maternal traits while being adequate for calving ease that can make females worth considering as replacements.”K-State nutritionist Phillip Lancaster sees one other genetic advantage of keeping replacement females born to first-calf heifers.“I am going to boost the genetic progress of the herd overall much quicker by keeping the daughters of the youngest females in the herd,” Lancaster said.However, Lancaster also said that it is important to look at the performance of the cow family that these potential replacement heifers are born from when making this decision.“Take a look at the records and if that heifer is born to a proven cow line in terms of longevity and reproductive performance, that will help you make the decision about keeping the heifer calf that was born from a heifer in the herd,” Lancaster said.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/77cb095d-d35e-4998-ab3f-3bd91c9b0301">Cattle Chat: Helping heifers ahead of breeding</a>Another factor to consider is the frame size of the replacement female being considered, said K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers. The size concern relates to the pelvic size of the calf when she matures and is bred to calve her first calf.“Some daughters born to calving ease sires may be predisposed to future calving difficulty due to their smaller frame size,” Larson said.Lubbers also said the timing of when they were born as compared to the rest of the herd is something that should factor into the decision of keeping or selling that heifer calf.“If the heifer calf was born late in the breeding season and she is small framed, then I would recommend producers do not retain them in the herd.”To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattlechatselectingareplacementfemalefortheherd">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.

KSRE Cattle Chat: Selecting a replacement female for the herd

KANSAS CITY(AP) — A person in Texas has been diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu</a>, an infection tied to the recent discovery of the virus in dairy cows, health officials said Monday.

The patient is being treated with an antiviral drug and their only reported symptom was eye redness,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/dshs-reports-first-human-case-avian-influenza-texas">Texas health officials said</a>. Health officials say the person had been in contact with cows presumed to be infected, and the risk to the public remains low.

Last week, dairy cows in Kansas and Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-dairy-cattle-usda-kansas-texas-c3040bb31a9a8293717d47362f006902">were reported</a>&nbsp;to be infected with bird flu — and federal agriculture officials later confirmed infections in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from Texas.

Since 2020, the bird flu virus has been spreading among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-hong-kong-health-bird-flu-animals-75e5d058e0fda23b5359f66cafb74cdf">more animal species</a>&nbsp;– including dogs, cats, skunks, bears and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seals-bird-flu-deaths-oceans-80184a8793fbcc21fab01b1c90b0d71b">seals</a>&nbsp;and porpoises – in scores of countries. However, the detection is U.S. livestock is an “unexpected and problematic twist,” said Dr. Ali Khan, a former CDC outbreak investigator who is now dean of the University of Nebraska’s public health college.

This bird flu was first identified as a threat to people during a 1997 outbreak in Hong Kong. More than 460 people have died in the past two decades from bird flu infections, according to the World Health Organization.

The vast majority of infected people got it directly from birds, but scientists have been on guard for any sign of spread among people. Their biggest concern is that the virus could mutate to spread easily among humans, something that hasn’t happened yet.

It’s only the second time a person in the United States has been diagnosed with what’s known as Type A H5N1 virus. In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-colorado-b98906e0a1899bb1f92da30a7b1dbe28">picked it up</a>&nbsp;while killing infected birds at a poultry farm in Montrose County, Colorado. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.

Texas officials didn’t identify the newly infected person, nor release any details about what brought them in contact with the cows.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636037846131.jpeg" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — A person in Texas has been diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu</a>, an infection tied to the recent discovery of the virus in dairy cows, health officials said Monday.The patient is being treated with an antiviral drug and their only reported symptom was eye redness,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/dshs-reports-first-human-case-avian-influenza-texas">Texas health officials said</a>. Health officials say the person had been in contact with cows presumed to be infected, and the risk to the public remains low.Last week, dairy cows in Kansas and Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-dairy-cattle-usda-kansas-texas-c3040bb31a9a8293717d47362f006902">were reported</a>&nbsp;to be infected with bird flu — and federal agriculture officials later confirmed infections in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from Texas.Since 2020, the bird flu virus has been spreading among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-hong-kong-health-bird-flu-animals-75e5d058e0fda23b5359f66cafb74cdf">more animal species</a>&nbsp;– including dogs, cats, skunks, bears and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seals-bird-flu-deaths-oceans-80184a8793fbcc21fab01b1c90b0d71b">seals</a>&nbsp;and porpoises – in scores of countries. However, the detection is U.S. livestock is an “unexpected and problematic twist,” said Dr. Ali Khan, a former CDC outbreak investigator who is now dean of the University of Nebraska’s public health college.This bird flu was first identified as a threat to people during a 1997 outbreak in Hong Kong. More than 460 people have died in the past two decades from bird flu infections, according to the World Health Organization.The vast majority of infected people got it directly from birds, but scientists have been on guard for any sign of spread among people. Their biggest concern is that the virus could mutate to spread easily among humans, something that hasn’t happened yet.It’s only the second time a person in the United States has been diagnosed with what’s known as Type A H5N1 virus. In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-colorado-b98906e0a1899bb1f92da30a7b1dbe28">picked it up</a>&nbsp;while killing infected birds at a poultry farm in Montrose County, Colorado. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.Texas officials didn’t identify the newly infected person, nor release any details about what brought them in contact with the cows.___

First person diagnosed with bird flu after being in contact with cows

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Dozens of Kansas agriculture-focused businesses and organizations gathered at the <a href="https://www.salinakansas.org/midamericafarmexpo.html">Mid America Farm Expo</a> last week, with visitors from across the state and some from outside American borders.

One business, <a href="https://farmada.net/">Farmada</a>, works with an agriculture conglomerate named <a href="https://ridne.com.ua/en/#">Ridne Consortium</a>, a Ukrainian coalition of more than 50,000 acres of farms working to bring humanitarian aid to people in the country.

A pair of consortium representatives visited the Farm Expo this year to promote their message of prioritizing Ukraine's economy throughout the war with Russia.

"We need to think about and develop the economy right now, not to wait until the end of the war, but we need to do it right now," said Sergii Kovalchuk, founder of the Ridne Consortium. "We need to work harder — we need to deepen connections, business connections between the U.S. and Ukraine."

Kovalchuk founded the consortium at the beginning of the war in March 2022 and recruited 25 small and medium-sized farms to participate. Most farms remain in western Ukraine, a part of the country relatively untouched by the conflict on its eastern borders.

Continuing business in Ukraine through the war is not an easy task.&nbsp;

As the war in Ukraine reached its two-year mark, Kovalchuk and another Ridne representative, Oleksii Khvorostianyi, said they now live their normal lives despite bomb sirens and missiles regularly threatening their homes in Kyiv.

"It's a unique experience. From the beginning of the war, we didn't know what the war was," Kovalchuk said. "We are not on the front line, so you see, we do not even understand what it's like to be in the war, but actually, we feel like living in Kyiv, we feel those rockets hitting, lots of missiles going, and bombings."

The danger didn't discourage Kovalchuk or his business partners in Ukraine or across the Atlantic in Kansas, which he and his team utilized for business advice and products for the Ukrainian farmers.

One business, Farmada, based in Salina, Kan., sells its products to the Ridne Consortium and its president, Daniel Rauchholz, continues close business connections with Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi.

Rauchholz said that before Russia invaded Ukraine, Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi worked with farmers to sell equipment and provide consulting services, but the war changed their entire business model.

"They got the farmers connected with the factories that needed the grain to produce it [food products], then worked with supermarkets to get it delivered," Rauchholz said. "They immediately switched to this mode to keep their businesses all up and running and bring everyone together and cooperate."

"It's an example of how the whole country has come together and how economically resilient they are as Ukrainian people."&nbsp;

Ridne farmers regularly purchase Farmada and other Kansas ag products, which began before the war.&nbsp;

Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi said they have had meaningful connections with Kansas businesses before and throughout the war. Visiting the Mid America Farm Expo provided a platform for Ridne to continue its current business relationships alongside making new connections.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ba1d98ff-33f2-4a06-b243-58b751c8e8fc">From seed to store: Stutzmans pulls back curtain on growing process</a>

Cade Rensink, K-State Research and Extension district director and Mid America Farm Expo planning committee chair, said hosting the expo in Salina continues that tradition of collaboration for local farmers.

Each year, the planning committee looks for varying focus topics for each expo day. This year, the focuses included workforce readiness, market analysis, and women in agriculture.

The expo also provided an agronomy competition with Kansas FFA students alongside a presentation on Kansas flora and the invasive species that threaten pasturelands.

"It varies from year to year, but we try to keep our pulse on some of the new things that are happening," Rensink said. "We were kind of worried that maybe we were flooding the market, so to speak, with too many programs, but they proved to draw the crowd too. We got lucky this year and tended to hit on stuff people wanted to hear about."

Rensink said providing these spaces for public conversations is vital for farmers and ranchers in Kansas, and continuing the show alongside the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce continues these public forums.

The expo matched most years in numbers, but Rensink said that didn't stop the show from finding success for its attendees.

Many attendees approached Rensink throughout the show to share how they found a new supplier or discovered a new piece of technology to use at their agriculture operation.

"I think people still find value in getting together to socialize, and if they're like me, they learned just as much from each other as they do from the experts in front of the room," Rensink said. "But there's still that human interaction that's extremely valuable no matter what walk of life you come from."

Beyond the shared interest in agriculture, Kovalchuk said that Kansas businesses offer an insight into the small and medium-sized business spheres, allowing Kovalchuk and the Ridne team to compare and contrast various business practices for the consortium.

Khvorostianyi said that although larger businesses in Chicago or New York may have more significant assets and staff, working with Kansas businesses has allowed the Ridne Consortium to thrive.

"That's why we also have plans to use it to develop here as a business — for us, it is very, very valuable that we are close," Khvorostianyi said. "For us, in our strategy, [Kansas businesses] are much better, much more clever to make trade connections with."

The Mid America Farm Expo provided another stage for the Ridne Consortium, which Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi used to share their message about prioritizing Ukraine's economy, allowing its citizens to weather the war, and see the other side as a stronger nation.

"Everyone understands, realistically, that Russia is strong, that's simple statistics," Kovalchuk said. "But actually, we need to develop anyway — we need to create innovations and attract innovations. We need to grow more bushels of corn and wheat from every acre than Russia, for example. That's what we can do, we need to bring innovations to create more innovative industries."

The Ridne Consortium works with multiple partners like the Howard G. Buffet Foundation and World Vision to pay for Ridne’s products and disperse them across the country to provide humanitarian aid to those in need on Ukraine’s eastern borders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711488837303.jpeg" alt="Daniel Rauchholz, president of Farmada, right, chats about some new innovations for their field equipment with Ridne Consortium founder Sergii Kovalchuk, left, Shield Ag Equipment owner Mike Bergmeier, middle left, and Ridne Consortium representative Oleksii Khvorostianyi, middle right, at the Mid America Farm Expo on Thursday, March 21, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Daniel Rauchholz, president of Farmada, right, chats about some new innovations for their field equipment with Ridne Consortium founder Sergii Kovalchuk, left, Shield Ag Equipment owner Mike Bergmeier, middle left, and Ridne Consortium representative Oleksii Khvorostianyi, middle right, at the Mid America Farm Expo on Thursday, March 21, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostDozens of Kansas agriculture-focused businesses and organizations gathered at the <a href="https://www.salinakansas.org/midamericafarmexpo.html">Mid America Farm Expo</a> last week, with visitors from across the state and some from outside American borders.One business, <a href="https://farmada.net/">Farmada</a>, works with an agriculture conglomerate named <a href="https://ridne.com.ua/en/#">Ridne Consortium</a>, a Ukrainian coalition of more than 50,000 acres of farms working to bring humanitarian aid to people in the country.A pair of consortium representatives visited the Farm Expo this year to promote their message of prioritizing Ukraine's economy throughout the war with Russia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711488949639.jpeg" alt="Ridne Consortium founder Sergii Kovalchuk, left, talks with Shield Ag Equipment owner Mike Bergmeier about various farm equipment to use on Ukrainian farmland on Thursday, March 21, at the Mid America Farm Expo in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Ridne Consortium founder Sergii Kovalchuk, left, talks with Shield Ag Equipment owner Mike Bergmeier about various farm equipment to use on Ukrainian farmland on Thursday, March 21, at the Mid America Farm Expo in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"We need to think about and develop the economy right now, not to wait until the end of the war, but we need to do it right now," said Sergii Kovalchuk, founder of the Ridne Consortium. "We need to work harder — we need to deepen connections, business connections between the U.S. and Ukraine."Kovalchuk founded the consortium at the beginning of the war in March 2022 and recruited 25 small and medium-sized farms to participate. Most farms remain in western Ukraine, a part of the country relatively untouched by the conflict on its eastern borders.Continuing business in Ukraine through the war is not an easy task.&nbsp;As the war in Ukraine reached its two-year mark, Kovalchuk and another Ridne representative, Oleksii Khvorostianyi, said they now live their normal lives despite bomb sirens and missiles regularly threatening their homes in Kyiv.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711489131638.jpeg" alt="Farmada's Elxir 66HD equipment on display on Thursday, March 21, at the Mid America Farm Expo in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Farmada's Elxir 66HD equipment on display on Thursday, March 21, at the Mid America Farm Expo in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"It's a unique experience. From the beginning of the war, we didn't know what the war was," Kovalchuk said. "We are not on the front line, so you see, we do not even understand what it's like to be in the war, but actually, we feel like living in Kyiv, we feel those rockets hitting, lots of missiles going, and bombings."The danger didn't discourage Kovalchuk or his business partners in Ukraine or across the Atlantic in Kansas, which he and his team utilized for business advice and products for the Ukrainian farmers.One business, Farmada, based in Salina, Kan., sells its products to the Ridne Consortium and its president, Daniel Rauchholz, continues close business connections with Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi.Rauchholz said that before Russia invaded Ukraine, Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi worked with farmers to sell equipment and provide consulting services, but the war changed their entire business model."They got the farmers connected with the factories that needed the grain to produce it [food products], then worked with supermarkets to get it delivered," Rauchholz said. "They immediately switched to this mode to keep their businesses all up and running and bring everyone together and cooperate.""It's an example of how the whole country has come together and how economically resilient they are as Ukrainian people."&nbsp;Ridne farmers regularly purchase Farmada and other Kansas ag products, which began before the war.&nbsp;Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi said they have had meaningful connections with Kansas businesses before and throughout the war. Visiting the Mid America Farm Expo provided a platform for Ridne to continue its current business relationships alongside making new connections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711489276739.jpeg" alt="The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the Mid America Farm Expo from March 20 - 22, 2024, at Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the Mid America Farm Expo from March 20 - 22, 2024, at Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ba1d98ff-33f2-4a06-b243-58b751c8e8fc">From seed to store: Stutzmans pulls back curtain on growing process</a><h2>A place for agriculture ideas</h2>Cade Rensink, K-State Research and Extension district director and Mid America Farm Expo planning committee chair, said hosting the expo in Salina continues that tradition of collaboration for local farmers.Each year, the planning committee looks for varying focus topics for each expo day. This year, the focuses included workforce readiness, market analysis, and women in agriculture.The expo also provided an agronomy competition with Kansas FFA students alongside a presentation on Kansas flora and the invasive species that threaten pasturelands."It varies from year to year, but we try to keep our pulse on some of the new things that are happening," Rensink said. "We were kind of worried that maybe we were flooding the market, so to speak, with too many programs, but they proved to draw the crowd too. We got lucky this year and tended to hit on stuff people wanted to hear about."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711489348322.jpeg" alt="Booths lined the Great Plains Convention Center for the Mid America Farm Expo on March 20 - 22, 2024, at Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Booths lined the Great Plains Convention Center for the Mid America Farm Expo on March 20 - 22, 2024, at Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Rensink said providing these spaces for public conversations is vital for farmers and ranchers in Kansas, and continuing the show alongside the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce continues these public forums.The expo matched most years in numbers, but Rensink said that didn't stop the show from finding success for its attendees.Many attendees approached Rensink throughout the show to share how they found a new supplier or discovered a new piece of technology to use at their agriculture operation."I think people still find value in getting together to socialize, and if they're like me, they learned just as much from each other as they do from the experts in front of the room," Rensink said. "But there's still that human interaction that's extremely valuable no matter what walk of life you come from."<h2>Bringing innovation to Ukraine</h2>Beyond the shared interest in agriculture, Kovalchuk said that Kansas businesses offer an insight into the small and medium-sized business spheres, allowing Kovalchuk and the Ridne team to compare and contrast various business practices for the consortium.Khvorostianyi said that although larger businesses in Chicago or New York may have more significant assets and staff, working with Kansas businesses has allowed the Ridne Consortium to thrive."That's why we also have plans to use it to develop here as a business — for us, it is very, very valuable that we are close," Khvorostianyi said. "For us, in our strategy, [Kansas businesses] are much better, much more clever to make trade connections with."The Mid America Farm Expo provided another stage for the Ridne Consortium, which Kovalchuk and Khvorostianyi used to share their message about prioritizing Ukraine's economy, allowing its citizens to weather the war, and see the other side as a stronger nation."Everyone understands, realistically, that Russia is strong, that's simple statistics," Kovalchuk said. "But actually, we need to develop anyway — we need to create innovations and attract innovations. We need to grow more bushels of corn and wheat from every acre than Russia, for example. That's what we can do, we need to bring innovations to create more innovative industries."The Ridne Consortium works with multiple partners like the Howard G. Buffet Foundation and World Vision to pay for Ridne’s products and disperse them across the country to provide humanitarian aid to those in need on Ukraine’s eastern borders.

Ukraine's Ridne Consortium visits Mid America Farm Expo to deepen international ties to Kansas

TOPEKA (AP) —Milk from dairy cows in Kansas and in Texas has tested positive for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-ohio-egg-farm-usda-d873383dd0927f8ebbdd850a6eebb9a5">bird flu</a>, U.S. officials said Monday.

Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states and in New Mexico, causing decreased lactation and low appetite.

It comes a week after officials in Minnesota announced that goats on a farm where there had been an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were diagnosed with the virus. It's believed to be the first time bird flu — also known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/avian-flu-chicken-outbreak-california-poultry-eggs-976f0f82843bf716dbad64f459b4b8be">highly pathogenic avian influenza</a>&nbsp;— was found in U.S. livestock.

The commercial milk supply is safe and risk to people is low, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dairies are required to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply, and milk from the sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. Pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria, and the process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce, the agency said.

“At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the USDA said in a statement.

The federal government said its tests in the cattle did not detect any changes to the virus that would make it spread more easily to people.

Dairy farmers in Texas first became concerned three weeks ago when cattle started falling ill with what officials called “mystery dairy cow disease," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. Milk production fell sharply and the cows were lethargic and weren't eating much.

“We hadn't seen anything like it before,” he said. “It was kind of like they had a cold.”

The state's animal health commission began an investigation that included tests for bird flu, spokeswoman Erin Robinson said. Based on findings from Texas, USDA officials think the cows got the virus from infected wild birds.

Experts say livestock appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days. That's different than bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which necessitate killing flocks to get rid of the virus. Since 2022, outbreaks in have led to the loss of about 80 million birds in U.S. commercial flocks.

So far, the virus appears to be infecting about 10% of lactating dairy cows in the affected herds, said Michael Payne, a food animal veterinarian and and biosecurity expert with the University of California-Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security.

“This doesn’t look anything like the high-path influenza in bird flocks,” he said.

Bird flu was detected in unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas. The virus was also found in a nose and throat swab from another dairy in Texas.

Officials called it a rapidly evolving situation. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are involved, along with officials in the three states. Another dairy-heavy state, Iowa, said it is monitoring the situation.

Dairy industry officials said that producers have started enhanced biosecurity efforts on U.S. farms, including limiting the amount of traffic into and out of properties and restricting visits to employees and essential personnel.

Bird flu previously has been reported in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seals-bird-flu-deaths-oceans-80184a8793fbcc21fab01b1c90b0d71b">48 different mammal species</a>, Payne noted, adding: “It was probably only a matter of time before avian influenza made its way to ruminants.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636037846131.jpeg" alt="photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) —Milk from dairy cows in Kansas and in Texas has tested positive for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-ohio-egg-farm-usda-d873383dd0927f8ebbdd850a6eebb9a5">bird flu</a>, U.S. officials said Monday.Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states and in New Mexico, causing decreased lactation and low appetite.It comes a week after officials in Minnesota announced that goats on a farm where there had been an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were diagnosed with the virus. It's believed to be the first time bird flu — also known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/avian-flu-chicken-outbreak-california-poultry-eggs-976f0f82843bf716dbad64f459b4b8be">highly pathogenic avian influenza</a>&nbsp;— was found in U.S. livestock.The commercial milk supply is safe and risk to people is low, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dairies are required to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply, and milk from the sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. Pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria, and the process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce, the agency said.“At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the USDA said in a statement.The federal government said its tests in the cattle did not detect any changes to the virus that would make it spread more easily to people.Dairy farmers in Texas first became concerned three weeks ago when cattle started falling ill with what officials called “mystery dairy cow disease," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. Milk production fell sharply and the cows were lethargic and weren't eating much.“We hadn't seen anything like it before,” he said. “It was kind of like they had a cold.”The state's animal health commission began an investigation that included tests for bird flu, spokeswoman Erin Robinson said. Based on findings from Texas, USDA officials think the cows got the virus from infected wild birds.Experts say livestock appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days. That's different than bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which necessitate killing flocks to get rid of the virus. Since 2022, outbreaks in have led to the loss of about 80 million birds in U.S. commercial flocks.So far, the virus appears to be infecting about 10% of lactating dairy cows in the affected herds, said Michael Payne, a food animal veterinarian and and biosecurity expert with the University of California-Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security.“This doesn’t look anything like the high-path influenza in bird flocks,” he said.Bird flu was detected in unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas. The virus was also found in a nose and throat swab from another dairy in Texas.Officials called it a rapidly evolving situation. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are involved, along with officials in the three states. Another dairy-heavy state, Iowa, said it is monitoring the situation.Dairy industry officials said that producers have started enhanced biosecurity efforts on U.S. farms, including limiting the amount of traffic into and out of properties and restricting visits to employees and essential personnel.Bird flu previously has been reported in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seals-bird-flu-deaths-oceans-80184a8793fbcc21fab01b1c90b0d71b">48 different mammal species</a>, Payne noted, adding: “It was probably only a matter of time before avian influenza made its way to ruminants.”___

Dairy cattle in Kansas test positive for bird flu

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau

A gust of wind sent a blizzard of white flakes past the picture window last weekend. The wall of white wasn’t snow, rather the fluttering petals from the blooming Callery pear tree in the front yard. Also known as a Bradford pear, it’s about as welcome today as a spring snowstorm.

The flowers are beautiful and Callery trees provide good shade in the summer, and it grows relatively quickly, which are all reasons it was planted in yards, parks and along roads throughout the eastern United States. Its blossoms can also emit a foul odor, and its fruit can stain whatever it happens to fall on, but neither is the reason why the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) has taken the first step preventing the sale of the tree beginning in 2027. The hope is to eventually eliminate the tree from the state’s landscape.

At least its urban landscape. It turns out the qualities that made the Callery pear a good landscape tree also make it tough to keep it confined to where it’s planted. The white flowers it puts off in spring are a beacon to see just how far it’s spread. You can spot them easily along fence rows as you drive down the highway. They’ve become an invasive species that outcompete native species, especially in grasslands.

I’ve already spotted a couple of other plumes of white smoke on the horizon, and I know there will be many more on the calmer days ahead as ranchers burn their pastures ahead of grazing season. These fires speed the breakdown of dead plant material releasing essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Removing this blanket of vegetation also helps warm the soil, promoting new growth. And, perhaps most importantly, the periodic burning of grasslands controls the encroachment of invasive species like Callery pears or eastern red cedars.

Prairies have evolved to need fire, and without it the landscape would quickly be transformed into a scrub forest of low-value shrubs and trees. Initially sparked by lightning strikes, mankind soon discovered the value of fire. Native Americans were the first to use prescribed burns to attract bison.

Prescribed burns, like the ones ranchers use every spring, are an example of using a tool provided by Mother Nature to preserve a vital ecosystem quickly and efficiently. Burning also helps create more high-quality growth that allows grazing cattle to add weight faster, making it an environmentally friendly practice that also boosts the bottom line.

Black patches will soon dot the prairies, followed by a carpet of green grass reaching out through the ash and soot. There will be fewer Callery pears and other invasive species because of purposely set fires. Smoke billowing on the horizon is yet another sign of spring in Kansas. We can look forward to increasing warmth, new growth and, hopefully, ridding ourselves of the things that just don’t belong.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687183475033.png" alt="Greg Doering" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm BureauA gust of wind sent a blizzard of white flakes past the picture window last weekend. The wall of white wasn’t snow, rather the fluttering petals from the blooming Callery pear tree in the front yard. Also known as a Bradford pear, it’s about as welcome today as a spring snowstorm.The flowers are beautiful and Callery trees provide good shade in the summer, and it grows relatively quickly, which are all reasons it was planted in yards, parks and along roads throughout the eastern United States. Its blossoms can also emit a foul odor, and its fruit can stain whatever it happens to fall on, but neither is the reason why the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) has taken the first step preventing the sale of the tree beginning in 2027. The hope is to eventually eliminate the tree from the state’s landscape.At least its urban landscape. It turns out the qualities that made the Callery pear a good landscape tree also make it tough to keep it confined to where it’s planted. The white flowers it puts off in spring are a beacon to see just how far it’s spread. You can spot them easily along fence rows as you drive down the highway. They’ve become an invasive species that outcompete native species, especially in grasslands.I’ve already spotted a couple of other plumes of white smoke on the horizon, and I know there will be many more on the calmer days ahead as ranchers burn their pastures ahead of grazing season. These fires speed the breakdown of dead plant material releasing essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Removing this blanket of vegetation also helps warm the soil, promoting new growth. And, perhaps most importantly, the periodic burning of grasslands controls the encroachment of invasive species like Callery pears or eastern red cedars.Prairies have evolved to need fire, and without it the landscape would quickly be transformed into a scrub forest of low-value shrubs and trees. Initially sparked by lightning strikes, mankind soon discovered the value of fire. Native Americans were the first to use prescribed burns to attract bison.Prescribed burns, like the ones ranchers use every spring, are an example of using a tool provided by Mother Nature to preserve a vital ecosystem quickly and efficiently. Burning also helps create more high-quality growth that allows grazing cattle to add weight faster, making it an environmentally friendly practice that also boosts the bottom line.Black patches will soon dot the prairies, followed by a carpet of green grass reaching out through the ash and soot. There will be fewer Callery pears and other invasive species because of purposely set fires. Smoke billowing on the horizon is yet another sign of spring in Kansas. We can look forward to increasing warmth, new growth and, hopefully, ridding ourselves of the things that just don’t belong."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Insight Kansas: Smoke in the Spring

By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The annual markets outlook from the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute anticipates declining farm income, higher costs for producers

U.S. farm income is falling from record highs as low commodity prices, trade headwinds and higher costs squeeze profits, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-us-agricultural-market-outlook/?utm_campaign=485145_FAPRI%20Baseline%20Report%20%28March%202024%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,AEC9,4NFRO6,1HPH8,1">new report from the University of Missouri</a>.

The 2024&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Baseline-Outlook.pdf">U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook</a>&nbsp;report released Tuesday by the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute, also known as FAPRI, is a 10-year projection of the agriculture economy. It examines production trends and pricing for commodity and specialty crops and livestock and discusses issues like interest rates, consumer prices and biofuel production that impact on farming as a whole.

For producers, the news isn’t especially welcome.

“We got lower commodity prices kind of across the board, except for cattle,” said Pat Westhoff, the agricultural economics professor who serves as the institute’s director.

The annual report is eagerly anticipated in the agriculture industry and its findings have extra significance this year as Congress tries to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4467907-farm-bill-tensions-conservation-fire-food-aid/">pass a farm bill</a>&nbsp;renewing producer support and food distribution programs.

Net farm income nationally is expected to be about $118.2 billion this year, down from a record of about $162 billion in 2022.

Westhoff said he briefed Congressional staff on the report Tuesday and the reaction was a classic glass half-empty, glass half-full split. Some saw the large decline in farm income as a problem, while others noted that income is expected to remain above the average from 2015 to 2019.

“People were using the same numbers and making the opposite arguments,” Westhoff said.

Missouri is second only to Texas in the number of farms, with 87,887 farms that sold $14.7 billion in agricultural products in 2022, up from $10.5 billion in 2017 according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_001_001.pdf">the Census of Agriculture</a>. Missouri farms also received nearly $1 billion in government payments or other income.

With farm production expenses of $10.7 billion, Missouri farms had net cash income of $5 billion.

The 5,596 largest Missouri farms, with sales of $500,000 or more, sold more than $11.6 billion of products in 2022. The 67,400 Missouri farms with sales of less than $50,000 sold&nbsp;$685 million agricultural products.

Prices for grain and oil crops have fallen dramatically in the past year. Missouri farmers were receiving $14.90 a bushel for soybeans in January 2023, and $6.94 a bushel for corn. According to the monthly agricultural prices report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the price received for soybeans in January was $12.90 a bushel and for corn it was $4.79.

The issues facing farmers nationally, Westhoff said, are true in Missouri, where corn, soybeans and wheat are the major cash crops.&nbsp;

The FAPRI report projects the decline in commodity grain prices will slow, but continue.

Missouri farmers get a slightly better price than the national average for corn and soybeans because of proximity to large rivers and industries such as ethanol and biodiesel that buy commodities locally, Westhoff said.

“Where you have crushing facilities for soybeans matters tremendously,” Westhoff said. “Where you have ethanol plants matters as well.”

Missouri produced 264.9 million bushels of soybeans in 2023. A decline of $2 per bushel means the farmers producing those beans received more than $500 million less than they did for the same commodity the previous year.

The sharp decline in market prices for soybeans hasn’t been accompanied by a similar decline in prices for fertilizer, fuel and other supplies, said Casey Wasser, chief operating officer of Missouri Soybeans, the industry lobbying association.

“The input prices have not come down at all with the other prices,” Wasser said. “So that’s where that net farm income is going to hit producers pretty tight.”

Missouri has the nation’s sixth largest cattle herd. It also is home to the sixth largest number of hogs, and its farmers sold the seventh largest number of chickens for meat consumption and had the nation’s 12th largest flock of laying hens.

But Missouri is losing farmers – and farmland – faster than the national average.

The number of farms declined 7.8% since the 2017 farm census while nationally the number fell 6.9%. Nationally, 2.2% of farmland was converted to other uses between the surveys, while in Missouri the acreage in farming declined 2.7%.

The smallest producers are being squeezed the tightest, said Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center. In a telephone interview after he spent a day lobbying in Washington for changes in national farm programs, Gibbons said the issues facing farmers go well beyond commodity prices and interest rates.

Control of agriculture continues to be concentrated in large corporations, he said. Farm programs are designed to support cheap commodities and large producers, he said.

“What I’m hearing on the Hill is a joke relative to the situation that is farming in Missouri and in the United States right now,” Gibbons said.

Corporate-backed buyers are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/01/boom-or-bubble-high-missouri-farmland-prices-encourage-investors-concern-farmers/">outbidding local residents</a>&nbsp;for farmland and the concentration in meatpacking means producers become dependent on contracts that can be canceled when profits narrow. The decision by Tyson Foods to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/03/11/tyson-to-close-perry-pork-plant-in-june/">close a plant in Perry, Iowa</a>, that employs 1,300 people will have a ripple effect on the farmers who raise hogs under contract, Gibbons said.

Missouri has lost more than 1,000 cattle producers a year over the past 25 years, a trend that accelerated to about 2,000 per year in the past five years, according to the farm census. The number of farms producing hogs has declined from 12,133 in 1992 to 2,184 in 2022.

“The policies that have been in recent past farm bills have been written by and for these multinational corporations and lobbyists that lobby for them,” Gibbons said. “We need a very different vision and a farm bill.”

The only area where prices are increasing in the past year are for cattle. That’s because the national herd is at its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/19/droughts-complicated-by-climate-change-result-in-us-beef-herd-hitting-historic-low/">lowest number since the 1960s</a>, in large part due to pastureland drying up because of droughts starting in 2020.

“It’s causing liquidation and we’re not seeing rebuilding right now,” Gibbons said. “That connects with interest rates as well.”

Higher interest rates in the United States, which increase costs for farmers as they borrow to finance annual operations or add land and equipment, put farmers at a disadvantage internationally by making the dollar worth more in exchange, Westhoff said.

One indicator of the impact is that the U.S. has become a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-us-agricultural-trade-deficit-could-reach-record-highs-for-2023-is-there-cause-for-concern/">net importer of food and agricultural products</a>, reversing decades of a surplus in the balance of farm trade.

“We are importing lots of value-added products that might otherwise be produced here and of course that has spillover effects,” Westhoff said.

The FAPRI report section on government aid to farmers notes that the cost of the two main programs intended to shore up prices –&nbsp; agricultural risk coverage, or ARC, and price loss coverage, or PLC fell below $1 billion because of recent high commodity prices.&nbsp;

At the same time, crop insurance payments in 2023 totaled $9.3 billion.

“We need to figure out a system of farmer-owned grain reserves and price floors and price ceilings to stop the volatility of the market, and keep that price floor at the cost of production,” Gibbons said.

Missouri Soybean is pushing for changes in federal farm support programs to reset the protected prices at a higher level, Wasser said. Prices on beans could fall another $2 per bushel and Missouri farmers wouldn’t qualify for payments to make up any of the difference, he said.

“We’re still not even close to a safety net, with inputs and $11 beans it’s tough for any farmer no matter what your size or your leverage to be making any profit on that,” Wasser said..

FAPRI’s job is to provide information, not advise on policy decisions, Westhoff said.

The difficulty of getting changes to the programs is cost, he said.

Some “would like to do some changes that would improve the safety net from the perspective of producers but those changes all cost money,” he said. “And unless you’re going to reduce that spending or reduce spending on conservation programs, there’s not any obvious way to put those pieces together.”

The decline in commodity prices should ease inflation in food costs and even reverse some recent increases, such as for eggs and pork, Westhoff said. Food purchased for consumption at home should not increase any faster than inflation generally, the report indicates.

But consumers shouldn’t expect everything in the supermarket to get cheaper, he said.

“For the most part, the share of those commodity prices that affect consumer food prices is pretty small,” Westhoff said. “Therefore even a significant decline in the farm level price doesn’t translate to any decline, or not a very big decline, in grocery store prices.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614189270972.jpeg" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The annual markets outlook from the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute anticipates declining farm income, higher costs for producers</h2>U.S. farm income is falling from record highs as low commodity prices, trade headwinds and higher costs squeeze profits, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-us-agricultural-market-outlook/?utm_campaign=485145_FAPRI%20Baseline%20Report%20%28March%202024%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,AEC9,4NFRO6,1HPH8,1">new report from the University of Missouri</a>.The 2024&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Baseline-Outlook.pdf">U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook</a>&nbsp;report released Tuesday by the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute, also known as FAPRI, is a 10-year projection of the agriculture economy. It examines production trends and pricing for commodity and specialty crops and livestock and discusses issues like interest rates, consumer prices and biofuel production that impact on farming as a whole.For producers, the news isn’t especially welcome.“We got lower commodity prices kind of across the board, except for cattle,” said Pat Westhoff, the agricultural economics professor who serves as the institute’s director.The annual report is eagerly anticipated in the agriculture industry and its findings have extra significance this year as Congress tries to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4467907-farm-bill-tensions-conservation-fire-food-aid/">pass a farm bill</a>&nbsp;renewing producer support and food distribution programs.Net farm income nationally is expected to be about $118.2 billion this year, down from a record of about $162 billion in 2022.Westhoff said he briefed Congressional staff on the report Tuesday and the reaction was a classic glass half-empty, glass half-full split. Some saw the large decline in farm income as a problem, while others noted that income is expected to remain above the average from 2015 to 2019.“People were using the same numbers and making the opposite arguments,” Westhoff said.Missouri is second only to Texas in the number of farms, with 87,887 farms that sold $14.7 billion in agricultural products in 2022, up from $10.5 billion in 2017 according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_001_001.pdf">the Census of Agriculture</a>. Missouri farms also received nearly $1 billion in government payments or other income.With farm production expenses of $10.7 billion, Missouri farms had net cash income of $5 billion.The 5,596 largest Missouri farms, with sales of $500,000 or more, sold more than $11.6 billion of products in 2022. The 67,400 Missouri farms with sales of less than $50,000 sold&nbsp;$685 million agricultural products.Prices for grain and oil crops have fallen dramatically in the past year. Missouri farmers were receiving $14.90 a bushel for soybeans in January 2023, and $6.94 a bushel for corn. According to the monthly agricultural prices report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the price received for soybeans in January was $12.90 a bushel and for corn it was $4.79.The issues facing farmers nationally, Westhoff said, are true in Missouri, where corn, soybeans and wheat are the major cash crops.&nbsp;The FAPRI report projects the decline in commodity grain prices will slow, but continue.Missouri farmers get a slightly better price than the national average for corn and soybeans because of proximity to large rivers and industries such as ethanol and biodiesel that buy commodities locally, Westhoff said.“Where you have crushing facilities for soybeans matters tremendously,” Westhoff said. “Where you have ethanol plants matters as well.”Missouri produced 264.9 million bushels of soybeans in 2023. A decline of $2 per bushel means the farmers producing those beans received more than $500 million less than they did for the same commodity the previous year.The sharp decline in market prices for soybeans hasn’t been accompanied by a similar decline in prices for fertilizer, fuel and other supplies, said Casey Wasser, chief operating officer of Missouri Soybeans, the industry lobbying association.“The input prices have not come down at all with the other prices,” Wasser said. “So that’s where that net farm income is going to hit producers pretty tight.”Missouri has the nation’s sixth largest cattle herd. It also is home to the sixth largest number of hogs, and its farmers sold the seventh largest number of chickens for meat consumption and had the nation’s 12th largest flock of laying hens.But Missouri is losing farmers – and farmland – faster than the national average.The number of farms declined 7.8% since the 2017 farm census while nationally the number fell 6.9%. Nationally, 2.2% of farmland was converted to other uses between the surveys, while in Missouri the acreage in farming declined 2.7%.The smallest producers are being squeezed the tightest, said Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center. In a telephone interview after he spent a day lobbying in Washington for changes in national farm programs, Gibbons said the issues facing farmers go well beyond commodity prices and interest rates.Control of agriculture continues to be concentrated in large corporations, he said. Farm programs are designed to support cheap commodities and large producers, he said.“What I’m hearing on the Hill is a joke relative to the situation that is farming in Missouri and in the United States right now,” Gibbons said.Corporate-backed buyers are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/01/boom-or-bubble-high-missouri-farmland-prices-encourage-investors-concern-farmers/">outbidding local residents</a>&nbsp;for farmland and the concentration in meatpacking means producers become dependent on contracts that can be canceled when profits narrow. The decision by Tyson Foods to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/03/11/tyson-to-close-perry-pork-plant-in-june/">close a plant in Perry, Iowa</a>, that employs 1,300 people will have a ripple effect on the farmers who raise hogs under contract, Gibbons said.Missouri has lost more than 1,000 cattle producers a year over the past 25 years, a trend that accelerated to about 2,000 per year in the past five years, according to the farm census. The number of farms producing hogs has declined from 12,133 in 1992 to 2,184 in 2022.“The policies that have been in recent past farm bills have been written by and for these multinational corporations and lobbyists that lobby for them,” Gibbons said. “We need a very different vision and a farm bill.”The only area where prices are increasing in the past year are for cattle. That’s because the national herd is at its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/19/droughts-complicated-by-climate-change-result-in-us-beef-herd-hitting-historic-low/">lowest number since the 1960s</a>, in large part due to pastureland drying up because of droughts starting in 2020.Short supplies are pushing prices up.“It’s causing liquidation and we’re not seeing rebuilding right now,” Gibbons said. “That connects with interest rates as well.”Higher interest rates in the United States, which increase costs for farmers as they borrow to finance annual operations or add land and equipment, put farmers at a disadvantage internationally by making the dollar worth more in exchange, Westhoff said.One indicator of the impact is that the U.S. has become a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-us-agricultural-trade-deficit-could-reach-record-highs-for-2023-is-there-cause-for-concern/">net importer of food and agricultural products</a>, reversing decades of a surplus in the balance of farm trade.“We are importing lots of value-added products that might otherwise be produced here and of course that has spillover effects,” Westhoff said.The FAPRI report section on government aid to farmers notes that the cost of the two main programs intended to shore up prices –&nbsp; agricultural risk coverage, or ARC, and price loss coverage, or PLC fell below $1 billion because of recent high commodity prices.&nbsp;At the same time, crop insurance payments in 2023 totaled $9.3 billion.“We need to figure out a system of farmer-owned grain reserves and price floors and price ceilings to stop the volatility of the market, and keep that price floor at the cost of production,” Gibbons said.Missouri Soybean is pushing for changes in federal farm support programs to reset the protected prices at a higher level, Wasser said. Prices on beans could fall another $2 per bushel and Missouri farmers wouldn’t qualify for payments to make up any of the difference, he said.“We’re still not even close to a safety net, with inputs and $11 beans it’s tough for any farmer no matter what your size or your leverage to be making any profit on that,” Wasser said..FAPRI’s job is to provide information, not advise on policy decisions, Westhoff said.The difficulty of getting changes to the programs is cost, he said.Some “would like to do some changes that would improve the safety net from the perspective of producers but those changes all cost money,” he said. “And unless you’re going to reduce that spending or reduce spending on conservation programs, there’s not any obvious way to put those pieces together.”The decline in commodity prices should ease inflation in food costs and even reverse some recent increases, such as for eggs and pork, Westhoff said. Food purchased for consumption at home should not increase any faster than inflation generally, the report indicates.But consumers shouldn’t expect everything in the supermarket to get cheaper, he said.“For the most part, the share of those commodity prices that affect consumer food prices is pretty small,” Westhoff said. “Therefore even a significant decline in the farm level price doesn’t translate to any decline, or not a very big decline, in grocery store prices.”

University  report warns falling prices could squeeze farmers

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

House-passed bill adds ban against spy drones, aircraft flying below 500 feet

TOPEKA — The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit in 2018 challenging on First Amendment grounds Kansas’ quarter-century-old law thwarting covert investigations into the treatment of animals and workers at feedlots, slaughterhouses and crop production zones.

Ramifications of that legal action continue to vex the animal agriculture industry in Kansas, farm lobbying organizations and rural legislators.

In 2021, the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals agreed with ALDF’s legal claim and a lower federal court’s decision to strike down provisions of Kansas’ “ag-gag” law — the oldest statute in the United States criminalizing undercover videotaping of alleged abuses.

The appellate court concluded Kansas had embarked on a forthright statutory plan to limit the ability of ALDF and like-mined organizations to slip under the radar in search of proof of the industry’s shortcomings. When signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike Hayden in 1990, he said the legislation was a direct response to damage perpetrated by “radical elements of the animal-rights movement.”

That state law selectively criminalized work of activists critical of Kansas agriculture practices. It didn’t mandate charges against a person who gained access to property without permission with the goal of lauding Kansas animal-handling practices. In other words, Hayden and other Kansas lawmakers interested in squelching dissent were guilty of state-sanctioned discrimination based on viewpoint.

“We reject this approach,” the federal Court of Appeals said. “It elevates form over substance and permits Kansas to do just what the First Amendment prohibits: License one side of a debate to fight freestyle, while requiring the other to follow&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquess_of_Queensberry_Rules">Marquis of Queensberry rules</a>.”

The U.S. Supreme Court declined in 2022 to review the Court of Appeals’ unraveling of the Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act.

The courthouse outcome was celebrated by the coalition of special-interest groups led by ALDF as a victory for animal rights and free speech. They also could see a path to placing their people — whistleblowers — as employees at targeted facilities to collect insider information for articles and videos about hog, beef and dairy or poultry operations, processing facilities and other agriculture businesses in Kansas.

“The industry works hard to keep its practices secret, knowing consumers won’t accept the intense confinement and other inhumane treatment of animals,” said Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

The Kansas Livestock Association, with more than 5,000 members involved in dairy, swine and beef production along with other farm enterprises, went to work drafting a rebuttal bill. The objective was to refine the state’s protection against trespassers on farm property or people making fraudulent statements on employment applications to gain access to land and facilities.

Results of that effort, wrapped into House Bill 2816, was approved 99-24 this week by the Kansas House after five minutes of floor debate. KLA’s legal product avoided the sticky mess caused by language about “intent to damage” and “effective consent” that helped to undermine the 1990 statute. The package forwarded to the Kansas Senate also clarified criminal penalties and blocked use of drones and aircraft below 500 feet directly above agriculture businesses.

“There are some places that people just shouldn’t go without permission,” said Rep. Lisa Moser, a Wheaton Republican and rancher. “This is tailored language done specifically to address the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision.”

Moser noted the bill resolved the free speech issue by applying sanctions to any unauthorized trespasser on agriculture cropland, farm research facility or animal operation whether those people were engaged in covert investigations or innocent behavior.

None of the likely opponents of the bill, such as the ALDF, the Sierra Club of Kansas or Humane Society of the United States, testified during the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee hearing March 6.

Jackie Garagiola, associate counsel to the Kansas Livestock Association, said the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear the state’s appeal meant the law had to be revised so “critical protections provided by the act for these facilities remain, but in a manner that does not come into conflict with the First Amendment.”

Under House Bill 2816, Kansas would make it illegal to enter or remain in animal facility or field crop production areas without permission of the owner or to knowingly make false statements on an employment application to gain access to those places. The same standards would apply to agriculture research areas controlled by private, university, federal, state or local government entities.

Garagiola said “effective consent” language in the Kansas law was unconstitutional because it regulated speech as opposed to conduct.

The new bill addressed the federal court’s contention the old Kansas law forbid speech made with the “intent to damage the enterprise conducted at the animal facility.” To clear up constitutional violations, the House-passed bill created the simple prohibition for trespass or use of fraudulent employment applications regardless of intent of the individual.

It would be a class A misdemeanor to enter or remain on these properties without consent and a class B misdemeanor for making bogus statements on job applications to gain access. The penalty for property damage or destruction of an animal or crop facility would be a level 9 nonperson felony for damage ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 and a level 7 nonperson felony for damages of $25,000 or more.

KLA’s approach was endorsed by Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Grain &amp; Feed Association, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, Kansas Pork Association and Kansas Dairy Association.

Janet Bailey, CEO of the dairy association, said the fastest growing segment of Kansas agriculture — dairying — needed lawmakers to&nbsp; close the gap left by the Court of Appeals’ decision. In particular, she said, the dairy industry was keen to secure criminal sanctions against people seeking jobs under false pretenses. The threat of prosecution has been an effective deterrent to undercover inquiries in the United States.

“Labor is a top concern among those in the dairy industry,” Bailey said. “As such, it can make our industry even more vulnerable to those who might seek employment with motives other than working in the care of our animals and production of milk. Their motives are clear in their desire to damage our industry and the livelihoods of the industry.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711230479923.png" alt=" Janet Bailey, CEO of the Kansas Dairy Association, said the fastest growing segment of Kansas agriculture — dairying — needed the Kansas Legislature to respond to a federal court decision by removing unconstitutional provisions of state law and restoring protections against undercover animal-rights organizations and applicants seeking jobs under false pretenses. (Jill Hummels/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Janet Bailey, CEO of the Kansas Dairy Association, said the fastest growing segment of Kansas agriculture — dairying — needed the Kansas Legislature to respond to a federal court decision by removing unconstitutional provisions of state law and restoring protections against undercover animal-rights organizations and applicants seeking jobs under false pretenses. (Jill Hummels/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>House-passed bill adds ban against spy drones, aircraft flying below 500 feet</h2>TOPEKA — The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit in 2018 challenging on First Amendment grounds Kansas’ quarter-century-old law thwarting covert investigations into the treatment of animals and workers at feedlots, slaughterhouses and crop production zones.Ramifications of that legal action continue to vex the animal agriculture industry in Kansas, farm lobbying organizations and rural legislators.In 2021, the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals agreed with ALDF’s legal claim and a lower federal court’s decision to strike down provisions of Kansas’ “ag-gag” law — the oldest statute in the United States criminalizing undercover videotaping of alleged abuses.The appellate court concluded Kansas had embarked on a forthright statutory plan to limit the ability of ALDF and like-mined organizations to slip under the radar in search of proof of the industry’s shortcomings. When signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike Hayden in 1990, he said the legislation was a direct response to damage perpetrated by “radical elements of the animal-rights movement.”That state law selectively criminalized work of activists critical of Kansas agriculture practices. It didn’t mandate charges against a person who gained access to property without permission with the goal of lauding Kansas animal-handling practices. In other words, Hayden and other Kansas lawmakers interested in squelching dissent were guilty of state-sanctioned discrimination based on viewpoint.“We reject this approach,” the federal Court of Appeals said. “It elevates form over substance and permits Kansas to do just what the First Amendment prohibits: License one side of a debate to fight freestyle, while requiring the other to follow&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquess_of_Queensberry_Rules">Marquis of Queensberry rules</a>.”The U.S. Supreme Court declined in 2022 to review the Court of Appeals’ unraveling of the Farm Animal and Field Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711230441938.png" alt=" Kansas Rep. Lisa Moser, a Republican and rancher, asked House colleagues to ditch unconstitutional provisions of Kansas law and adopt a revised strategy for thwarting animal-rights activists engaging in undercover work to expose livestock industry practices. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Rep. Lisa Moser, a Republican and rancher, asked House colleagues to ditch unconstitutional provisions of Kansas law and adopt a revised strategy for thwarting animal-rights activists engaging in undercover work to expose livestock industry practices. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Just shouldn’t go’</h2>The courthouse outcome was celebrated by the coalition of special-interest groups led by ALDF as a victory for animal rights and free speech. They also could see a path to placing their people — whistleblowers — as employees at targeted facilities to collect insider information for articles and videos about hog, beef and dairy or poultry operations, processing facilities and other agriculture businesses in Kansas.“The industry works hard to keep its practices secret, knowing consumers won’t accept the intense confinement and other inhumane treatment of animals,” said Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.The Kansas Livestock Association, with more than 5,000 members involved in dairy, swine and beef production along with other farm enterprises, went to work drafting a rebuttal bill. The objective was to refine the state’s protection against trespassers on farm property or people making fraudulent statements on employment applications to gain access to land and facilities.Results of that effort, wrapped into House Bill 2816, was approved 99-24 this week by the Kansas House after five minutes of floor debate. KLA’s legal product avoided the sticky mess caused by language about “intent to damage” and “effective consent” that helped to undermine the 1990 statute. The package forwarded to the Kansas Senate also clarified criminal penalties and blocked use of drones and aircraft below 500 feet directly above agriculture businesses.“There are some places that people just shouldn’t go without permission,” said Rep. Lisa Moser, a Wheaton Republican and rancher. “This is tailored language done specifically to address the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision.”Moser noted the bill resolved the free speech issue by applying sanctions to any unauthorized trespasser on agriculture cropland, farm research facility or animal operation whether those people were engaged in covert investigations or innocent behavior.None of the likely opponents of the bill, such as the ALDF, the Sierra Club of Kansas or Humane Society of the United States, testified during the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee hearing March 6.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711230407996.png" alt="The Kansas Livestock Association’s attorneys prepared House Bill 2816, which easily passed the House, to restore protections of the beef, dairy, hog and poultry industries, crop producers and research facilities that might be targeted by animal-rights organizations. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Livestock Association’s attorneys prepared House Bill 2816, which easily passed the House, to restore protections of the beef, dairy, hog and poultry industries, crop producers and research facilities that might be targeted by animal-rights organizations. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>KLA steps into void</h2>Jackie Garagiola, associate counsel to the Kansas Livestock Association, said the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear the state’s appeal meant the law had to be revised so “critical protections provided by the act for these facilities remain, but in a manner that does not come into conflict with the First Amendment.”Under House Bill 2816, Kansas would make it illegal to enter or remain in animal facility or field crop production areas without permission of the owner or to knowingly make false statements on an employment application to gain access to those places. The same standards would apply to agriculture research areas controlled by private, university, federal, state or local government entities.Garagiola said “effective consent” language in the Kansas law was unconstitutional because it regulated speech as opposed to conduct.The new bill addressed the federal court’s contention the old Kansas law forbid speech made with the “intent to damage the enterprise conducted at the animal facility.” To clear up constitutional violations, the House-passed bill created the simple prohibition for trespass or use of fraudulent employment applications regardless of intent of the individual.It would be a class A misdemeanor to enter or remain on these properties without consent and a class B misdemeanor for making bogus statements on job applications to gain access. The penalty for property damage or destruction of an animal or crop facility would be a level 9 nonperson felony for damage ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 and a level 7 nonperson felony for damages of $25,000 or more.KLA’s approach was endorsed by Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Grain &amp; Feed Association, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, Kansas Pork Association and Kansas Dairy Association.Janet Bailey, CEO of the dairy association, said the fastest growing segment of Kansas agriculture — dairying — needed lawmakers to&nbsp; close the gap left by the Court of Appeals’ decision. In particular, she said, the dairy industry was keen to secure criminal sanctions against people seeking jobs under false pretenses. The threat of prosecution has been an effective deterrent to undercover inquiries in the United States.“Labor is a top concern among those in the dairy industry,” Bailey said. “As such, it can make our industry even more vulnerable to those who might seek employment with motives other than working in the care of our animals and production of milk. Their motives are clear in their desire to damage our industry and the livelihoods of the industry.”

Kansas House tries to fix constitutional flaw to shield agriculture from animal-rights activists

<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news-and-publications/news/stories/2024/03/cattle-chat-helping-heifers-ahead-of-breeding.html">By LISA MOSER</a> K-State Research and Extension news service

While it seems like a natural event, getting pregnant is not always as easy as it sounds, especially if the female isn’t having estrus cycles.

Specific to cattle, the experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute offered tips on how to get heifers cycling on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/CattleChatHelpingHeifersAheadofBreeding">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast.

The veterinarians recommend doing a pre-breeding exam on the heifers as early as six to eight weeks ahead of the start of the breeding season to assess the reproductive tract and overall health of the young females. Heifers typically start their estrus cycles around 12-13 months of age.

For heifers that are behind in their body weight and reproductive maturity, the BCI experts suggested a few options to help them along.

“For heifers that are too thin, I’d recommend adding grain to get them to gain between one and a half to two pounds a day,” said beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster. At that pace, the cattle should be able to add an extra 100 pounds or so in 45 to 60 days, he said.

Along with adding grain, Lancaster also recommends adding ionophores to the feed.

“An ionophore is a feed supplement that changes the fermentation in the rumen that provides additional blood glucose and will help the heifer begin cycling a little earlier than she might otherwise,” Lancaster said.

Along with adjusting the nutrition plan, K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers said it is important to make sure the heifers have been treated with a deworming product.

“Having heifers on a good deworming program means they are losing less energy to parasites, and they can gain more weight because they are using their calories more efficiently,” Lubbers said.

Another tip is to expose the heifers to an older bull through fence line contact or use a vasectomized bull in the pasture with them.

“Although only a minor effect, research has shown that bull exposure will hasten the onset of puberty in females that are close to cycling,” said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.

Larson also suggests using an estrus synchronization protocol that includes progesterone. He said this can be done through a feed additive such as MGA (melengestrol acetate) or with a CIDR (a product placed intravaginally for either seven or 14 days).

“MGA works well as long as they get their half milligram every day and it is fed for 14 days, while the CIDR is more expensive but is more flaw proof because if it is in their body, then you know they are getting the progesterone.”

Because of the cost of estrous synchronization and artificial insemination, Larson recommends that heifers that are behind at an eight-week pre-breeding exam be re-evaluated closer to breeding before committing to an artificial insemination mating.

“I normally don’t do the breeding soundness exams twice, but in a herd or group that is behind, I will because it may not be worth the expense of putting in a CIDR and semen in heifer that has a low chance of responding,” Larson said.

To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/CattleChatHelpingHeifersAheadofBreeding">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d7b5a005-9ac6-4d89-ae63-dd9bafd923f4">Shroom-Mates — science leads owners to small-scale agriculture</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711123128274.jpeg" alt="Management interventions can help heifers reach puberty. Image courtesy K-State Research and Extension news service" />
 <figcaption>Management interventions can help heifers reach puberty. Image courtesy K-State Research and Extension news service</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news-and-publications/news/stories/2024/03/cattle-chat-helping-heifers-ahead-of-breeding.html">By LISA MOSER</a> K-State Research and Extension news serviceWhile it seems like a natural event, getting pregnant is not always as easy as it sounds, especially if the female isn’t having estrus cycles.Specific to cattle, the experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute offered tips on how to get heifers cycling on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/CattleChatHelpingHeifersAheadofBreeding">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast.The veterinarians recommend doing a pre-breeding exam on the heifers as early as six to eight weeks ahead of the start of the breeding season to assess the reproductive tract and overall health of the young females. Heifers typically start their estrus cycles around 12-13 months of age.For heifers that are behind in their body weight and reproductive maturity, the BCI experts suggested a few options to help them along.“For heifers that are too thin, I’d recommend adding grain to get them to gain between one and a half to two pounds a day,” said beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster. At that pace, the cattle should be able to add an extra 100 pounds or so in 45 to 60 days, he said.Along with adding grain, Lancaster also recommends adding ionophores to the feed.“An ionophore is a feed supplement that changes the fermentation in the rumen that provides additional blood glucose and will help the heifer begin cycling a little earlier than she might otherwise,” Lancaster said.Along with adjusting the nutrition plan, K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers said it is important to make sure the heifers have been treated with a deworming product.“Having heifers on a good deworming program means they are losing less energy to parasites, and they can gain more weight because they are using their calories more efficiently,” Lubbers said.Another tip is to expose the heifers to an older bull through fence line contact or use a vasectomized bull in the pasture with them.“Although only a minor effect, research has shown that bull exposure will hasten the onset of puberty in females that are close to cycling,” said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.Larson also suggests using an estrus synchronization protocol that includes progesterone. He said this can be done through a feed additive such as MGA (melengestrol acetate) or with a CIDR (a product placed intravaginally for either seven or 14 days).“MGA works well as long as they get their half milligram every day and it is fed for 14 days, while the CIDR is more expensive but is more flaw proof because if it is in their body, then you know they are getting the progesterone.”Because of the cost of estrous synchronization and artificial insemination, Larson recommends that heifers that are behind at an eight-week pre-breeding exam be re-evaluated closer to breeding before committing to an artificial insemination mating.“I normally don’t do the breeding soundness exams twice, but in a herd or group that is behind, I will because it may not be worth the expense of putting in a CIDR and semen in heifer that has a low chance of responding,” Larson said.To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/CattleChatHelpingHeifersAheadofBreeding">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d7b5a005-9ac6-4d89-ae63-dd9bafd923f4">Shroom-Mates — science leads owners to small-scale agriculture</a>

Cattle Chat: Helping heifers ahead of breeding

In a shop just outside Minneapolis, Kan. a pair of agriculture entrepreneurs cultivate dozens of pounds of mushrooms each week, ranging from the cloud-like Lion's Mane to the flavorful Shitake.

Rachel and Casey Andre began <a href="https://www.shroom-mates.com/">Shroom-Mates</a> in 2022 after noticing a "mushroom-sized gap" in the Saline County food industry.

"We had already talked about starting a farm and what we'd like to do, but the conventional way was kind of out of our means as far as land," Casey Andre said. "So we just said, 'Okay, what can we grow here and start here and expand — what's not available in the community?' So I went to the farmers market and saw nobody was doing mushrooms."

From there, the couple started small with a homemade cultivating tent, a special enclosure to grow mushrooms on a larger scale. 

The makeshift tent first filled their entire basement, but after demand grew, they moved to a shop with an upgraded cultivating tent.

Rachel Andre has worked as a chef most of her life. As she sought to create more delicious recipes at the Rennaisance Cafe, she encountered a challenge in finding varying types of mushrooms beyond Portobello or Button mushrooms.

She and Casey Andre then found a solution — growing their own mushrooms in their basement to sell and use for recipes. This also aligned with the couple's goal of starting an agriculture business.

Rachel Andre said she worked as the executive chef at <a href="https://www.renaissancecafeassaria.com/">Rennaisance Cafe</a> in Assaria for seven years, and she continues to assist the cafe occasionally but remains busy with Shroom-Mates.

"It's more science than it is agriculture," Casey Andre said. I work at Great Plains, so I'm in the ag industry. I grew up on a farm. We wanted to do something that promoted local agriculture and local foods — we're really into that."

Once the couple began growing mushrooms, they dove into the entire process, from sterilizing the substrate to pulling and washing mushrooms from the grow bags.

The process begins with filling plastic bags with a mix of wood chips and soy meal and then taking them to a sterilizing room to prevent mold growth. 

After Casey and Rachel Andre sterilize the growing bags, the bags sit until the substrate turns white with mycelium, or the root-like structure of fungi, to then take to the cultivation tents.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/42dbd29f-e625-4828-b08f-570a490b9c4b">Salina Salvation Army continues helping families amid financial challenges</a>

In the cultivation tents, the Andres can control the temperature, light and humidity to create the perfect environment for large heads of Lion's Mane and Oyster mushrooms to grow.

Casey Andre said he enjoys the challenge of growing mushrooms on a business scale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711037879382.jpeg" alt="Casey Andre, co-owner of Shroom-Mates, stands inside one of the cultivation tents at their mushroom shop on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Casey Andre, co-owner of Shroom-Mates, stands inside one of the cultivation tents at their mushroom shop on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostIn a shop just outside Minneapolis, Kan. a pair of agriculture entrepreneurs cultivate dozens of pounds of mushrooms each week, ranging from the cloud-like Lion's Mane to the flavorful Shitake.Rachel and Casey Andre began <a href="https://www.shroom-mates.com/">Shroom-Mates</a> in 2022 after noticing a "mushroom-sized gap" in the Saline County food industry.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711037954083.jpeg" alt="Casey Andre, co-owner of Shroom-Mates, holds a box of fresh Oyster mushrooms ready for sale in his shop on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Casey Andre, co-owner of Shroom-Mates, holds a box of fresh Oyster mushrooms ready for sale in his shop on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"We had already talked about starting a farm and what we'd like to do, but the conventional way was kind of out of our means as far as land," Casey Andre said. "So we just said, 'Okay, what can we grow here and start here and expand — what's not available in the community?' So I went to the farmers market and saw nobody was doing mushrooms."From there, the couple started small with a homemade cultivating tent, a special enclosure to grow mushrooms on a larger scale. The makeshift tent first filled their entire basement, but after demand grew, they moved to a shop with an upgraded cultivating tent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711038017599.jpeg" alt="A head of Lion's Mane mushrooms sits ready for harvest in a cultivation tent at Shroom-Mates on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>A head of Lion's Mane mushrooms sits ready for harvest in a cultivation tent at Shroom-Mates on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Rachel Andre has worked as a chef most of her life. As she sought to create more delicious recipes at the Rennaisance Cafe, she encountered a challenge in finding varying types of mushrooms beyond Portobello or Button mushrooms.She and Casey Andre then found a solution — growing their own mushrooms in their basement to sell and use for recipes. This also aligned with the couple's goal of starting an agriculture business.Rachel Andre said she worked as the executive chef at <a href="https://www.renaissancecafeassaria.com/">Rennaisance Cafe</a> in Assaria for seven years, and she continues to assist the cafe occasionally but remains busy with Shroom-Mates."It's more science than it is agriculture," Casey Andre said. I work at Great Plains, so I'm in the ag industry. I grew up on a farm. We wanted to do something that promoted local agriculture and local foods — we're really into that."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711038065881.jpeg" alt="A box of fresh mushrooms ready for sale at the Shroom-Mates cultivation shop on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>A box of fresh mushrooms ready for sale at the Shroom-Mates cultivation shop on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Once the couple began growing mushrooms, they dove into the entire process, from sterilizing the substrate to pulling and washing mushrooms from the grow bags.The process begins with filling plastic bags with a mix of wood chips and soy meal and then taking them to a sterilizing room to prevent mold growth. After Casey and Rachel Andre sterilize the growing bags, the bags sit until the substrate turns white with mycelium, or the root-like structure of fungi, to then take to the cultivation tents.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/42dbd29f-e625-4828-b08f-570a490b9c4b">Salina Salvation Army continues helping families amid financial challenges</a>In the cultivation tents, the Andres can control the temperature, light and humidity to create the perfect environment for large heads of Lion's Mane and Oyster mushrooms to grow.Casey Andre said he enjoys the challenge of growing mushrooms on a business scale."It motivates me and gets me interested in it all," Casey Andre said. "I went from knowing almost nothing about mushrooms, other than what you find at the grocery store, and I started looking into these wood-loving mushrooms, and I was like, 'Wow! There's so many kinds of these.'"Beyond selling fresh mushrooms, the business sells mushroom teas and dried mushrooms, which have medicinal benefits from mushrooms like Lion's Mane.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711038099731.jpeg" alt="Various mushroom products sold by Shroom-Mates on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Various mushroom products sold by Shroom-Mates on Thursday, March 14, near Minneapolis. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>The couple also invented the name Shroom-Mates. Casey Andre said that while researching other small mushroom businesses, he found many had "serious" names like "Last Name Mushrooms," and he wanted to do something different.That's when Rachel Andre created the name Shroom-Mates as a play on words to draw people to their stall at local farmers' markets.Rachel and Casey Andre set up shop this week at the <a href="https://www.salinakansas.org/midamericafarmexpo.html">Mid America Farm Expo at Tony's Pizza Events Center</a> in town, selling boxes of fresh mushrooms alongside bags and jars of various dried mushrooms and teas.