WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today its intent to withdraw the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) final rule. The rule was finalized in January 2017, but placed on hold when the new administration took office. National Farmers Union (NFU) supports the OLPP rule’s intent, as it would improve the consistency and [...]
By Tom Parker Listening to economist Bill Helming talk forecasts and demographic changes and economic trends and growth rates and market shares and income streams and—above all—fractions and whole numbers and percentages is a lot like getting tossed into a commercial clothes dryer set to permanent press. At first the momentum is dizzying as you [...]
By Tom Parker “What if we could create a new system?” Missouri rancher and farmer Cody Holmes asked members of the Kansas Farmers Union and the Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition during their annual convention in early December. His question wasn’t merely rhetorical. Holmes had asked himself the same question a thousand times, but answers remained [...]
Kansas Farmers Union and Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition will host a Central Kansas Family Farm Specialty Products Tour, on Saturday, October 11 in the McPherson and Newton, KS areas. KFU and KBFC representatives were very impressed by the diverse number of producers and products available in central Kansas, and felt it would be an ideal [...]
Cattlemen and producers are invited to the Fall Forage Tour, Friday, October 31, 2014 and Saturday, November 1, 2014. The tour will begin at 1:00 p.m. on both days at the Dale Strickler Farm, one mile south of Courtland on the west side of the highway. Two audiences will benefit from participation in the Fall [...]
Amazing Grazing II kicked off with the return of Jim Gerrish to Kansas August 13-14 in Topeka and August 15-16, 2014 in Manhattan. Two 2-day workshops were conducted for different animal types with separate topics for each one. Ranch Management for Successful Winter and Year Round Grazing of Beef Cattle was held with 45 in [...]
On Saturday, April 12th, KFU and the Kansas Graziers hosted a low-stress livestock handling workshop led by Dr. Lynn Locatelli in Salina. Dr. Locatelli, a livestock handling specialist, gave a deep, thoughtful presentation to a full-house eager to learn more about low stress livestock handling. Dr. Locatelli was a veterinarian in western Nebraska for 14 [...]
McPHERSON, KS - Three Olsburg, KS ranches will highlight working facilities that utilize low stress methods to quietly and effectively process cattle, sheep and goats on May 3, 2014. The tour will begin with registration at 9:30 AM at the Edwards Ranch, 15225 Dry Creek Road, 2.4 miles west of Olsburg and 2.9 south on [...]
On Saturday, April 12th, KFU and the Kansas Graziers hosted a low-stress livestock handling workshop led by Dr. Lynn Locatelli in Salina. Dr. Locatelli, a livestock handling specialist, gave a deep, thoughtful presentation to a full-house eager to learn more about low stress livestock handling. Dr. Locatelli was a veterinarian in western Nebraska for 14 [...]
More than ever, you need to be in control of your operation. Cows are lousy business managers. Don’t leave the critical management decisions up to cows. They don’t care whether you make a dime or not. Your job is to create a ranch environment where the cow can be the best cow she can be. [...]
