The official blog of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Featuring posts about what grows in Kansas, farm and ranch news, agribusiness, and more.
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Kansas Crops
Kansas is one of the top wheat-producing states in the country. In 2019, Kansas farmers harvested nearly 455 million bushels of wheat from nearly 10 million acres, according to the Kansas Wheat Commission. That’s a lot of wheat! Other top crops in Kansas include corn, soybeans, sorghum, and hay.
Corn
Corn is the most common crop in Kansas, with production totaling 551 million bushels in 2015. The majority of Kansas corn is used for livestock feed, with smaller amounts going to ethanol production and exports. The state’s warm, humid climate is ideal for growing corn, and Kansas farmers produce both traditional field corn and sweet corn.
Soybeans
Soybeans are an annual legume that is typically planted in the early spring. In Kansas, soybeans are widely adapted and can be grown in all 105 counties. The state average yield for soybeans is approximately 40 bushels per acre, however, yield will vary from year to year and field to field due to many management factors such as variety, planting date, fertility, disease pressure, insect pressure, etc. For more information on soybean production in Kansas please see the links below.
Soybean Production- https://www.ksrevenue.org/dor/abtus/taxinfo/cropandlivestockreports/soybeanproductioncosts.html
https://www.agmanager.info/crops/soybeans
Wheat
Kansas wheat fields are some of the most beautiful and iconic sights in the state. But wheat is more than just a pretty face. This humble grain is an important part of Kansas agriculture, and has been for centuries.
Wheat is a grass that is cultivated around the world for its grain. The grain is ground to make flour, which is used to make bread, pasta, pastry, and many other products. Wheat is Kansas’s number one crop, and has been for over 100 years. In fact, Kansas produces more wheat than any other state in the United States.
Wheat is a relatively easy crop to grow, and it thrives in Kansas’s climate. The growing season in Kansas is just long enough to allow wheat to mature properly, and the state’s average annual rainfall is enough to keep wheat crops healthy. Wheat yields can vary depending on the weather during the growing season, but a good yield can be expected in most years.
While winter wheat is the most common type of wheat grown in Kansas, other types of wheat are also grown in the state. These include Durum wheat, which is used to make pasta; hard red winter wheat, which is used to make bread; and hard red spring wheat, which is used for pastry.
Kansas Livestock
Kansas is known for its agriculture. The state is a top producer of wheat, corn, and soybeans. Kansas is also home to many cattle and hog farms. These animals are raised for their meat, which is sold commercially.
Cattle
Kansas is one of the top beef-producing states in the U.S., with more than 6 million cattle and calves as of 2018. The majority of Kansas cattle are beef cows, which are used to produce steak, hamburger, and other beef products. Most of the state’s beef cows are Angus or Hereford breeds. Other common cattle breeds in Kansas include Charolais, Limousin, Simmental, and Brahman.
Hogs
Home to some of the best pork in the country, Kansas is a top producer of hogs. In fact, our state ranks in the top five nationally for pig production. The majority of Kansas hogs are raised in large commercial operations, however there are also a number of small family farms that raise hogs.
Kansas pigs are fed a diet of corn and soybeans, which helps to produce high-quality pork. Kansas pork is known for its tenderness, juiciness and flavor. When cooked properly, it can be some of the best pork you will ever eat!
If you are interested in trying Kansas pork, there are a few ways to go about it. You can purchase pork directly from a Kansas hog farm or you can buy it at your local grocery store. You can also find Kansas pork at many restaurants across the state.
Sheep
Sheep have been in Kansas since the early 1800s when they were introduced by Mexican traders. In the mid-1800s, sheep were brought to western Kansas by homesteaders from eastern states. Today, most of the sheep in Kansas are found in the western and north-central parts of the state. Two hundred thousand to three hundred thousand head of sheep are shorn each year in Kansas.
There are two types of sheep grown in Kansas: wool and meat. The chief difference between the two is the type of wool produced. Merino wool is a fine, soft wool that is used for clothing; while range wools are coarser and not as valuable. Most of the wool grown in Kansas is range wool.
Kansas lamb is marketed as a natural product and grass-fed product. Because there are no hormones or other artificial growth stimulants used, it takes longer to raise a lamb to market weight than it does cattle. For this reason, grass-fed lamb is usually a bit more expensive than grain-fed lamb raised in feedlots.
