Kansas

The Kansas Explosion: Cow Numbers Surge as U.S. Milk Production Climbs

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:15:09 GMT

The latest USDA Milk Production report paints a picture of an industry in the midst of a significant geographic and structural shift. Led by a massive surge in the High Plains, milk production in the 24 major states reached 19.6 billion lb. in March, a 2.4% increase over the previous year.

While the production increase is notable, the real story lies in the “where” and “how.” The U.S. dairy herd is expanding at a clip rarely seen in recent years, with cow numbers in the major states climbing to 9.18 million head — an increase of 188,000 cows compared to March 2025.

The Kansas Phenomenon

If there is a gorilla in the room in this report, it is Kansas. The Sunflower State has officially become the epicenter of American dairy expansion. In March 2026, Kansas saw a staggering 25.4% increase in milk production compared to the same month last year.

This growth is driven by a massive influx of cattle. Kansas cow numbers jumped from 187,000 head in March 2025 to 234,000 head in March 2026 — a net gain of 47,000 cows in a single year. This explosion suggests the state’s aggressive strategy to attract processing capacity and foster a pro-growth business climate is paying massive dividends. Large-scale operations are not just moving to Kansas; they are thriving there, leveraging the state’s access to feed and central logistics.

“I almost always look at cow numbers first because that’s going to tell us a lot about short-to-medium-term prospects,” Phil Plourd, president of Ever.Ag Insights says. “For March, the U.S. herd increased 8,000 head month-on-month and 187,000 year-over-year to a new 30-plus year high. That says we’re going to have plenty of milk for a while. And, while performance varies from region to region and farm to farm, prospective margins seem decent enough to keep things rolling.”

This 30-year high in cow numbers indicates that despite the volatility of the global market, U.S. producers are betting on growth. However, that growth is highly concentrated.

High Plains Powerhouses and Regional Shifts

Kansas isn’t the only state in growth mode. The High Plains and West continue to consolidate their positions as the industry’s heavy hitters:

Texas: Added 31,000 cows year-over-year, bringing its herd to 719,000 head and boosting production by 4.7%.
South Dakota: Continued its steady climb with a 6.9% production increase, supported by 15,000 additional cows.
Idaho: Reached 724,000 cows (up 24,000 head), with production rising 3.4%.

The Regional Retreat: A Tale of Two Coasts

The report also highlights a stark contrast: as the High Plains boom, the Pacific Northwest and parts of the Southwest are in retreat. Washington saw a significant 5.8% drop in production, losing 15,000 cows over the past year as regulatory pressures and changing land use take their toll. New Mexico also faced a decline, with production falling 3.2% as its herd shrank by 9,000 head. Even traditional strongholds like Pennsylvania saw a dip, with production down 2.3% and a loss of 12,000 cows. These numbers tell a story of a national dairy industry that is not just growing, but migrating toward regions where modern, large-scale infrastructure can be built from the ground up.

Efficiency Meets Scale

It isn’t just about more hooves on the ground; it’s about the brilliance of modern management. Production per cow in the 24 major states averaged 2,133 lb. for March, 7 lb. higher than a year ago. This marriage of scale and efficiency has pushed the January-March quarterly production to 58.5 billion lb., up 2.9% from the same period last year.

As the industry moves into the second quarter of 2026, the data confirms a new reality. The era of localized, fragmented production is giving way to a high-precision, geographically concentrated model. With Kansas leading the charge, the U.S. dairy industry is proving through innovation and strategic expansion, it can reach heights not seen in three decades.

How Will U.S. Producers Maintain Business when New World Screwworm Invades?

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:59:35 GMT

With animal disease, prevention and preparation beat panic. Since New World screwworm (NWS) was last eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, the tools and infrastructure to deal with foreign animal disease have dramatically changed.

Dr. Justin Smith, Kansas animal health commissioner and state veterinarian, during the recent Kansas State University Cattlemen’s Day gave an update on how Kansas and other states are preparing for NWS. The approach is designed to keep producers in business, keep cattle and products moving, and manage NWS in a way that protects both herds and markets.

He says the U.S. animal health officials along with USDA are planning a multistate, coordinated response that aims for consistency across state borders.

Smith summarizes the industry’s preparation to tackle NWS is like a three-legged stool. U.S. producers will be able to maintain business when NWS invades through surveillance, treatment and movement controls.

Surveillance: Eyes on Animals

The first leg of the stool is surveillance. He stresses early detection depends heavily on producers and veterinarians watching animals closely and reporting anything suspicious.

Smith emphasizes they would rather over investigate than miss a case.

“We want to make sure that we err on the side of having to say no on many occasions, versus saying, ‘Yep, this is what we got.’ Eyes on animals is going to be key.”

He was clear this should feel like partnership, not policing.

“They don’t want it to look like Big Brother coming over your shoulder,” he explains. “I hope we want to get this thing quickly.”

Smith explains that once a positive premises is identified, surveillance becomes structured around zones. The infested premises sit at the center, surrounded by an infested zone, an adjacent surveillance zone and a broader fly surveillance area.

The infested zone is 12.4 miles in radius from the infested premises. In this zone, there will be frequent on‑animal checks for wounds and larvae, plus enhanced monitoring in surrounding zones using fly traps and animal observation. The adjacent surveillance zone is another 12.4 miles radius and then there will be a fly surveillance area — an 124-mile radius from the infested premises.

Smith says movements out of the infested zone will require visual inspection for wounds and systemic treatment, including a treatment window of three to 14 days before movement plus a documented certificate of veterinary inspection.

He says the current Kansas response plan aligns with USDA’s playbook and neighboring states’ plans while taking into account specific needs of the Kansas livestock industry.

He stresses the playbook will continue to evolve, and state-by-state implementation may vary, but he says the “zone approach” will be utilized by all states.

Treatment: Limited Tools, Use Strategically

The second leg is treatment. Smith says that after decades without large domestic outbreaks, labeled options are limited.

From the fact that we haven’t had this new tool in our nation, in a large-spread outbreak since the 60s, we don’t have a lot of treatments out there that are labeled for this organism.”

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four products for large animals:

He cautions, “The goal is not to go out there and just habitually treat your animals just in case. We want to make sure that we’re utilizing these [products] responsibly. There’s not an unlimited supply out there, and so we want to make sure that it’s available for us when we do need it.”

On a positive premises, Smith says treatment will be mandatory and systematic.

“There will be a quarantine placed on that premises. We’re also going to require a certain level of treatment on that premises,” he explains.

There will be protocols for daily mortality disposal, so carcasses don’t become breeding sites.

“The last thing you want to do is bury an animal that has larvae and has the ability to advance.”

He says treatment is also tied to movement out of infested zones, with most animals needing prophylactic treatment before leaving.

Movement Controls: Targeted, Not Statewide Shutdowns

The third leg is movement control, designed to be precise rather than broad-brush. Smith stresses NWS is an infestation, not an infection , emphasizing it is not a systemic disease problem, but an infestation that still demands strong controls.

He says there will be movement restrictions if a premises falls into an infested region. To move animals out of that zone, there will be steps to follow but movement will not be completely shut down.

He explains some exceptions exist:

Animals moving directly to slaughter can go without pre‑movement treatment, but those animals have to be hanging on the rail within 72 hours.
Baby dairy calves must be treated but can move right away if treatment and navel care are documented.

He says Kansas is also coordinating with neighboring states to create “synergistic” rules, especially for cattle from higher‑risk states such as Texas. Cattle entering Kansas from recognized infested zones will face inspection, treatment requirements and at least 14 days in drylot containment on arrival.

NWS is Not a Food Safety Issue

Smith reassures producers and consumers that NWS is not a meat safety threat.

“This is not a food safety issue,” he says. “If an animal is presented to slaughter, it has a screwworm wound then it has the ability to be trimmed. That carcass will not be condemned. There are no restrictions on any inspected product for food safety reasons.”

Smith summarizes underpinning all three legs is a commitment to dynamic planning and continuity. He notes a revised USDA playbook is forthcoming and that “plans will be a little bit dynamic” as they learn more.

The core message for producers is clear: watch your cattle, report early, use treatments wisely and expect targeted movement controls — not blanket shutdowns — if NWS crosses the border.

USDA Announces Sterile Fly Production Facility Construction Contract

USDA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced March 9 a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas.

This facility is a key component in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy to fight NWS. USACE is partnering with USDA and will provide oversight for the contract, design, engineering and construction of the facility.

“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government-wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” Rollins says. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first-of-its-kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”

A sterile fly production facility is a specialized biosecure complex where NWS flies are raised and sterilized using irradiation and then released into targeted areas.

USDA currently produces about 100 million sterile flies per week at the COPEG facility in Panama and disperses them within and just north of affected areas in Mexico. In addition to the COPEG facility in Panama, USDA invested $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa , which will double NWS production capacity once complete.

With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates sterile fly production will begin at this facility in summer 2026. The new facility at Moore Air Base will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest and protect American agriculture.

USDA and USACE will break ground on this new facility later this spring, after initial planning and development meetings with the new contractor. By November 2027, the production facility at Moore Air Base is expected to reach its initial goal of producing 100 million sterile flies per week. After that, construction will continue at the facility to increase production with the long-term goal of producing 300 million sterile flies per week.

The Kansas Surge: How Processing Capacity is Redrawing the Dairy Map

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:21:50 GMT

In the world of dairy expansion, the old adage “if you build it, they will come” has found a modern home in the Sunflower State. While traditional dairy hubs like California face structural headwinds and regulatory constraints, Kansas is witnessing a period of tremendous growth that is fundamentally reshaping the industry’s geography. According to Phil Plourd of Ever.Ag, this surge is a direct result of alignment between massive new processing infrastructure and on-farm expansion.

The “Hillmar Effect” and the Processing Pull

The epicenter of the Kansas dairy boom is inextricably linked to the arrival of significant processing capacity, most notably the Hilmar plant. Plourd notes the relationship between producers and processors has entered a new phase of lockstep development.

“If you create an attractive situation, farmers are coming,” Plourd explains. “You need plant infrastructure to encourage farm investment, because otherwise, there’s really no home for the milk.”

This growth isn’t just coming from green site projects, but also from the aggressive expansion of existing operations. Dairy producers in western Kansas are finding being in proximity to new, high-capacity plants reduces transportation costs and provides a stable, long-term market for their milk. Unlike other regions, where base programs and production caps have been implemented to slow supply, Kansas is actively building the pipeline to handle more.

The Competitive Edge: Labor, Feed and Water

Beyond the plants, Kansas offers structural advantages that make it an attractive destination for large-scale dairying. Greg Bethard of High Plains Ponderosa Dairy has noted the region’s existing agricultural density — specifically the presence of large beef feedlots — creates a unique synergy.

“When you’re next to other feed yards and similar enterprises, it helps with labor,” Plourd says, echoing Bethard’s observations. The concentration of agricultural activity means a ready pool of skilled labor and service providers who understand large-animal agriculture.

Furthermore, Kansas remains a good feed area. The ability to grow high-quality forages locally, combined with what Plourd describes as “okay” water characteristics relative to other high-production regions, provides a level of cost-stability that is becoming harder to find on the West Coast.

Bethard, operating in the High Plains of Kansas, is already strategizing for a future with less water by transitioning his crop rotation toward wheat and soy, which requires fewer inputs than corn silage.

“We have to make sure that 30 years from now, we can still milk cows where we are,” Bethard says.

California’s Structural Stall

The growth in Kansas stands in sharp contrast to the situation in California. While California remains the nation’s top milk producer, Plourd sees very little structural growth happening there. Instead, the state is facing a period of consolidation and potential exits.

“We continue to see some sellouts there,” Plourd says. “It’s hard to do business in California on both ends of the spectrum. At the same time, California has a huge population and direct access to the Pacific Ocean for exports, so the industry will continue to see some baseline stability.”

While the current growth in Kansas is explosive, Plourd expects it to eventually reach a plateau.

“Once the new capacity is full, it’ll level off — unless somebody else builds something else,” he says. For now, the roadway is paved for the Sunflower State. As long as the infrastructure continues to expand, the cows will continue to follow, cementing Kansas as a cornerstone of the modern U.S. dairy landscape.

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A Surge in U.S. Milk Production: Insights to What States Stood Out

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 20:50:19 GMT

The landscape of U.S. milk production is experiencing dynamic changes and developments, as highlighted in the May 2025 USDA Milk Production report. This report reveals cow numbers have increased by 5,000 head from last month and by 20,000 compared to the last report — marking the largest herd size since 2021. This growth is largely attributed to light culling rates.

Driving Factors for Herd Growth
Katie Burgess with Ever.Ag highlights two primary reasons for this upward trend in cow numbers:

Replacement heifers have become very expensive, altering the breakeven point for replacing an animal.
The high value of beef-on-dairy calves makes it financially worthwhile to retain cows for their calf-bearing potential.

Notable Regional Performances
According to the report, there was a 1.6% year-over-year increase in U.S. milk production for May, which Burgess says aligns with industry expectations.

California: Milk production in California fell short of expectations, experiencing a decrease of 1.8%. Despite an increase of 2,000 in cow numbers from the previous year, the lower-than-expected milk-per-cow production is attributed, presumably, to lingering impacts of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza).

Kansas: Kansas showed a remarkable milk production output increase of 15.7% in May, with April’s data also revised higher at 15.5%.

Texas and South Dakota: Both states demonstrated significant positive gains in milk production, with increases of 8.9% and 9.5% respectively.

Industry Expansion in Processing Capacity
The dairy industry’s expansion is further underscored by significant developments in processing capacity:

In March, Hilmar Cheese Company marked the official opening of its new cheese and whey processing facility located in Dodge City, Kan.
Bel Brands announced an increase in its production capacity in Brookings, S.D., with a substantial 100,000-square-foot addition to its plant.
New facilities like the Leprino Foods plant in Lubbock, Texas, and a Walmart plant in central Texas are coming online.

Michael Dykes, CEO of International Dairy Foods Association, highlights how producers and processors have a similar goal in mind.

“Our farmers want to grow and so do our processors. If we aren’t growing — if we aren’t looking toward the future — we’re going to get surpassed by others,” he says.

These developments are part of a projected $9 billion plus expansion in U.S. milk processing, highlighting a promising and dynamic future for the industry.

“The US dairy industry has reached the spring flush at a higher than expected level of 19.1 billion pounds. It’s now up to demand to pull milk prices higher through the summer,” Dan Basse, president of AgResources Company says.

The May 2025 USDA Milk Production report reflects significant growth and expansion in the U.S. dairy sector, driven by strategic management of herd sizes and processing capabilities. As the industry continues to evolve, these trends point toward a robust and sustainable future for U.S. milk production.

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A New Era for Nebraska: First Dairy Plant Breaks Ground in Over 60 Years

American Royal Hosts Barn Raising at New Site

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:11:09 GMT

The American Royal has been a Kansas City tradition since 1899, whose mission is to be the nation’s leader for food and agriculture education, events and engagement. In order to execute this mission, the American Royal has placed an intentional focus on developing the nation’s epicenter for food and agriculture.

Nearly 500 competitors, volunteers, board members, and supporters witnessed American Royal history on November 28 as the vertical construction process began and the first piece of steel was placed on its new facility.

“The American Royal is constructing a purpose-built complex designed to attract visitors year-round to Kansas and Wyandotte County for food and agriculture events,” explained Walt George, chair of the new building committee and secretary of the American Royal Board of Directors, during the barn raising ceremony. “It all starts today with the barn, although it sounds so simple to just call it the barn.”

The facility will span more than 390,000 square feet—the equivalent of nearly seven football fields. In addition to three arenas and a state-of-the-art learning and engagement center, the complex can house more than 1,500 horses or nearly 4,000 head of cattle.

“The agriculture industry is the lifeblood of our great state, and this new American Royal campus is going to serve as a national leader in education, events, and engagement – creating a food and agriculture innovation district that will be unlike any other in the world,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. “It will also play a critical role in building up our workforce by instilling in young visitors a sense of pride about Kansas’ deep agriculture heritage, perhaps inspiring them to pursue a career here.”

Before the barn raising program, supporters enjoyed lunch, toured the future home of the American Royal, viewed updated renderings and signed a steel beam that will be used in constructing the new facility.

“The new American Royal complex will be a place where relevant conferences, collaborations and events focused on innovations in food, fiber and fuel can happen,” said Cliff Illig, member of the American Royal Board of Directors. “Visitors of all ages and backgrounds will come together to learn, celebrate and advance an industry that impacts each and every one of us, every single day.”

Lindsey Patterson Smith, co-chair of the American Royal campaign cabinet, shared a vision for the American Royal Association from her late father, Neal Patterson, with barn raising attendees.

“I am beyond thrilled to celebrate this milestone for the American Royal,” said Patterson Smith. “My father, the late Neal Patterson, saw the opportunity the American Royal holds in creating a connection between agrarian and urban lifestyles, but knew that the organization needed to continue to evolve. The vision for the American Royal is aligned with that opportunity, and this facility is a critical tool to get there.”

The American Royal’s new development will have a significant impact on the agricultural community and the Kansas City region as the organization positions itself as the epicenter of agriculture. The facility is expected to host its first event in late 2025 or early 2026.

For more information about the American Royal and the new facility, visit https://www.americanroyalontherise.com/ .

New Plant Capacity Collides with Shrinking Milk Supply

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 17:00:00 GMT

For the past few years, some U.S. dairy producers have been urging the dairy industry to build new processing facilities so they can expand their operations and have a place to sell their additional milk. Their requests are now becoming a reality, but the timing appears to be challenging, said Betty Berning, analyst with the Daily Dairy Report.

“Scarce heifer supplies and the time required to raise a calf to mature milk cow remain long-term barriers to rapid growth in U.S. milk output.” Berning said. “At the same time, milk supplies are shrinking in some of the areas that have been experiencing the largest investments in processing capacity.”

In January, the U.S. milk herd was at its lowest point in more than four years, and heifer inventories were at their lowest level since 2004. Milk will remain particularly tight in the Southwest. New Mexico’s herd and resulting production, for example, have been rapidly declining for several years. New Mexico’s milk cow herd has fallen by 97,000 head between January 2021 and January 2024, according to USDA data. In neighboring Texas, a state that had been growing exponentially, milk cow numbers have been flat since June 2023 at 635,000 head, down from the state’s peak of 650,000 in March 2023.

“While Some Texas producers have added cows to supply the new cheese facility there, others have left the state due to costly feed and inadequate milk revenue,” Berning said.

Last year, processors opened several plants across the country and more will come online this year and in 2025 and 2026. The largest projects have been and will continue to be cheese-centric and located in the central and southwestern United States. About a year ago, production began on a new cheese plant in the Texas Panhandle, and other manufacturing plants are slated to come online in 2025 and 2026 in the Panhandle and near Waco, Texas, respectively.

“In addition, new cheese capacity will come online in southwest Kansas this year. While Kansas producers added 3,000 cows last year, that does not seem like it will be enough to fill the state’s new capacity. Before last year’s expansion, cow numbers in Kansas have been flat since 2001,” Berning said.

New investment in ice cream, cheese, and value-added fluid milk projects is also slated to open in the Northeast. The projects range from an expansion of current facilities to new builds, Berning said, and small cheese-related projects are also in the works in the Upper Midwest.

“Cheese plants in the Southwest will receive priority, and dryers in the region are already running light as new processing draws milk from a shrinking regional milk supply. There is no excess milk in the Southwest, so the milk that once made its way out of the area to the milk-deficit Southeast will stay put,” Berning said. “Southeast plants will thus need to pull milk from other regions, potentially from the Mideast or Northeast, allowing producers in those regions to expand.”

On the positive side, in New York where processing is being added, cow numbers climbed 6,000 head year over year in 2023. Expansion also occurred last year in nearby Indiana, up 5,000 head, and in Ohio, up 3,000 head.

“That could help support new expansions in the Northeast,” Berning added.

For more industry news, read:

Dairy Industry Potential has Gov. Brownback Excited for Future

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:01:25 GMT

Gov. Sam Brownback extended a welcome to Kansas for Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) during the cooperatives annual meeting this week.

“I’m delighted in seeing you come to Kansas with your headquarters. We want to grow the state of Kansas around the agricultural industry,” Brownback says.

DFA will be building their global headquarters in Kansas City, Kan., with completion slated to be done by Dec. 2016. The headquarters will be moving from a leased facility across the border in Kansas City, Mo.

Brownback also expressed that he was thrilled for more dairy production to enter the Sunflower State thanks to the DFA ingredient plant that will be built in western Kansas.

“I think western Kansas is one of the best places to do animal agriculture, actually the whole High Plains area. It is just a wonderful place to do animal agriculture,” Brownback says.

The plant is projected to be operational by 2017.

It is a partnership between DFA, Kansas dairy producers and Chinese dairy company Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group. Milk powder produced at the plant will be intended for export overseas, particularly China.

The plant is estimated to process 4 million lbs. of milk per day, which will more than doubles the output from DFA’s first ingredient plant that was opened last year in Fallon, Nev. Fallon currently receives between 1.7 to 2 million lbs. of milk per day.

Brownback notes this is a great time to be in agriculture, particularly when the world’s population is demanding more animal protein.

“For a long time it was because a lot of the rest of the world wasn’t making enough to pay for more protein in their diet to eat a little better,” Brownback says. “Now much of the rest of the world is growing in their dietary desires and they want some protein in it. They want some dairy in it.”

Kansas Rapidly Increasing Dairy Production

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:01:25 GMT

The Sunflower State has seen a dairy explosion. In 1999, there were just 86,000 dairy cows. Now there are 143,000 cows.

The eastern part of Kansas held steady in growth during that time, says Billy Brown, agri-business development coordinator for the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA). “Really when you look at the growth for Kansas it has all come from the western side of the state.”

Western Kansas offers open spaces that are easy to setup large dairies and communities that support agriculture.

“Part of the growth has been driven by folks from other places wanting to either expand dairies or continue production in a large scale dairy model,” says Mike Brouk, extension dairy specialist with Kansas State University. Those producers helped Kansas get to a mark of 118,000 cows by 2009.

In the past six years Kansas has not had a new dairy built by a producer who moved in from out of state. All of the recent herd growth has been built up by producers who were already there which accounts for 25,000 more cows since 2009.

Brouk notes that western Kansas offers an arid climate favorable for dairying because 10 months out of the year moisture isn’t a huge issue.

There is a perception that there is a lack of water in western Kansas, but in areas that cover the Ogallala Aquifer a consistent supply of water can be found.

“Do we have water for expanded animal production in western Kansas? The answer would be yes, but we’ve got to evaluate where.” Brouk adds that location distance between other livestock units is an important consideration for all dairies in the High Plains.

“We’ve been very proactive in trying to keep units apart so there is some distance so you don’t have issues of feed supply, water supply and available land for spreading manure,” Brouk relates.

Kansas is very rural so driving to a big box store like Target or Sam’s Club may take several hours.

One area Kansas lacks is milk processing.

“We’re stuck in a chicken and egg situation where we need a big processor to attract producers, but the processor needs more cows,” Brown says.

During the past few years the KDA has worked with the Kansas Department of Commerce and other organizations within the state to help attract dairy producers and processors to the state.

“We’ve really been focused on getting more cows into the state to be able to reap the economic benefits of the dairy industry and what that provides economically to small communities in our rural areas,” Brown says.

Kansas has passed a sales tax exemption for the construction or renovation of livestock facilities when that investment is more than $50,000 which should ease of the burden of building in the state.

There is also incentive for milk processors because 70% of the milk produced in Kansas is exported out of the state to be processed.

“We see the opportunity to have more processing in the future as being a great benefit to our industry that will hopefully propel Kansas forward into getting more cows into the state and help us process more milk in the state,” Brown says.

A new processing plant is in the works for western Kansas. In November, a report came out that Dairy Farmers of America would be partnering with a Chinese company to build a plant that would supply dry whole milk powder for export to China.

Kansas is an area rich in land and provides the agricultural infrastructure needed to support the facility, says David Jones, chief operating officer of the Southwest Area for DFA.

“This plant will not only provide our members with the security of having a local processing facility that will provide significant freight savings for many years to come, but it offers them the opportunity to have direct investment as well,” Jones says. “We are excited about this opportunity and have received significant interest from the local producer community.”

As of right now there are no specific details of the size and scope of this plant as they are being determined, but the plant construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2016.

'I Need More Mexicans': A Kansas Farmer's Message to Trump

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:00:57 GMT

Undocumented immigrants make up about half the workforce in U.S. agriculture, according to various estimates. But that pool of labor is shrinking, which could spell trouble for farms, feedlots, dairies, and meatpacking plants—particularly in a state such as Kansas, where unemployment in many counties is barely half the already tight national rate. “Two weeks ago, my boss told me, ‘I need more Mexicans like you,’” says a 25-year-old immigrant employed at a farm in the southwest part of the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he’s trying to get his paperwork in order. “I said, ‘Well, they’re kind of hard to find.’”

Arrests of suspected undocumented workers have jumped 38 percent since President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders targeting immigration in January. The crackdown is having a deterrent effect along the southern border: Apprehensions by U.S. Customs and Border Protection totaled 118,383 from January through May, a 47 percent decrease from the same period last year, which indicates fewer people are trying to enter the U.S. illegally. Michael Feltman, an immigration lawyer in Cimarron, Kan., says his firm has seen more people coming in with naturalization questions over the past six months than over the previous four years combined. “I’m really worried every little traffic ticket’s going to turn into detention,” he says.

Others feel the same way. “The threat of deportation and the potential loss of our workforce has been very terrifying for all of us businesses here,” says Trista Priest in Satanta, Kan. She’s the chief strategy officer at Cattle Empire, the country’s fifth-largest feed yard, whose workforce is about 86 percent Latino.

In Haskell County, where Cattle Empire is the biggest employer, 77 percent of voters cast ballots for Trump, compared with 57 percent statewide. But Priest and other employers interviewed for this story complained that the immigration policies emanating from Washington, 1,500 miles away, clash with the needs of local businesses.

Southwest Kansas, which has traditionally relied heavily on workers born outside the U.S., is suffering through a labor shortage.

© Bloomberg

Representative Roger Marshall, a Republican whose district includes southwest Kansas, says immigration is the No. 1 concern he hears about from constituents. The freshman congressman says he’s confident that once the border is secure, “President Trump will look at this, too, as an economic problem.”

The two executive orders issued in January call for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and prioritize the deportation of undocumented immigrants who’ve been convicted or charged with “any criminal offense.” The language is so broad that all the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. could be targets, given that anyone who’s evaded border inspection or overstayed a visa could be charged with a misdemeanor or fraud.

Trump has said that even as he ramps up deportations, he doesn’t want to slam the door on immigrants. He’s proposed a merit-based system akin to those of Australia and Canada. Those countries confer legal status via a point system that rewards those with higher education, better employment histories, and language skills. He’s also spoken generally about reforming the short-term visa program for farmworkers. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told Congress last month that the existing H2A visa, which admits seasonal workers, “has not been as successful as we would like, and it’s very onerous,” especially for smaller farms, to navigate all the paperwork.

But those proposals do not offer a pathway to legalization for those who are already in the country, which is what agriculture and other industries including construction and restaurants have been calling for. Joe Jury, who’s been farming in Ingalls, Kan., since the 1970s and has employed “probably well over 100 Hispanic immigrants,” wants immigration reform that emphasizes making it easier for foreign-born residents to work as much as it ensures that criminals are deported. “The visa system is so slow and so expensive,” he says. “The government has dug this hole, and now they’re trying to dig themselves out through enforcement.”

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has proposed that, to “minimize the impact on current economic activity,” unauthorized agricultural workers already in the country should be granted permanent legal status once they prove they have worked in the industry for a set period of time. The AFBF has warned that an enforcement-only approach could slash industry output by as much as $60 billion annually.

Feltman, the immigration lawyer, says his clients would be more than willing to pay hefty fines for assured legalization. If each undocumented worker were charged $1,000 or $1,500, that would change political sentiment, he says. “The people that are the naysayers to all that might say, ‘That’s a lot of money for our country.’” Pew Research Center estimates that 375,000 undocumented workers are employed in agriculture.

“I didn’t come over here because I wanted to—my parents brought me here,” says the undocumented worker from southwest Kansas, who says he’s spent $24,000 on immigration lawyers and other expenses in his quest for legal status. “I’m here, I have to work.”

The price of milk would jump to $6.40 a gallon if U.S. dairy farms were deprived of access to immigrant workers, according to a 2015 report commissioned by the National Milk Producers Federation, which estimated that half of all workers in the industry are immigrants. Lingering in Congress are two separate bills that would modify the existing H2A agricultural visa program so that dairy farms can hire workers year-round rather than seasonally. In an April 18 statement in support of the legislation, the milk producers’ trade group said: “Without the help of foreign labor, many American dairy operations face the threat of closure.”

Kyle Averhoff, general manager of Royal Farms Dairy in Garden City, Kan., says he’s seen the flow of applicants slow in recent months as the labor market has tightened. Unemployment in Finney County, where Royal Farms is based, was just 2.8 percent in April, down from 3.1 percent a year ago. “We’ve gone to some of the highest-unemployment counties in our state and ran ads, and without success,” he says. An entry-level job at Royal Farms could pay as much as $40,000 in wages and benefits, with no prior skills required, Averhoff says: “For us the immigration issue is not about cheap labor. It’s been about finding people who have the aptitude and want to work in our industry.”

Averhoff’s pain extends beyond Kansas. An extreme shortage of agriculture workers, attributed to “recent changes in immigration policy,” was responsible for some growers in California discarding portions of their harvest in April and May, according to the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, which surveys businesses. Meanwhile, U.S. homebuilders, whose optimism soared after the election on promises of deregulation and tax reform, are back to citing severe labor shortages as a big reason for their subdued spirits, according to survey data from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo & Co.

DFA Plant to Help Spur Growth in Kansas Dairy Industry

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:56:20 GMT

Where today sits a small pile of freshly turned western Kansas soil soon will be Meadowlark Dairy Nutrition, a Dairy Farmers of America milk processing plant. According to Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey, the new plant could be an important catalyst to spur additional growth in the Kansas dairy sector. Secretary McClaskey attended a groundbreaking ceremony near Garden City on Thursday, Oct. 8.

“Kansas is one of the fastest growing regions for dairy production in the United States, growing 7.5 percent in 2014 alone, and more than doubling in the last 20 years,” said Secretary McClaskey. “We are proud to welcome DFA to Kansas and are confident this milk processing plant will make Kansas even more attractive to dairies looking to grow or relocate.”

Since 2010, total milk output in Kansas has increased 24 percent. In 2014, the approximately 143,000 dairy cows in Kansas produced 3.1 billion pounds of milk, valued at $746.6 million. According to KDA economic data, in 2013, the dairy industry in Kansas supported more than 5,800 jobs and contributed $1.02 billion to the state’s economy.

Dairy-farmer owned, DFA is the nation’s largest milk marketing cooperative and is the sixth-largest global dairy company, with exports going to nearly 50 countries. When completed, the plant in Garden City will process 4 million pounds of raw milk daily from local dairy farms to be used for milk powder for domestic and global customers.

“As we work to continue growing the dairy sector in Kansas, a limiting factor has been the proximity to a milk processing plant. That’s a significant factor dairies consider as Kansas dairy farmers look to successfully grow their operations,” said Secretary McClaskey. “Expanding the milk processing capacity in Kansas will enable us to add more value to milk and dairy products in Kansas and will make our state even more competitive in the future. We look forward to working together with DFA and all our partners in the dairy sector to grow and enhance Kansas agriculture.”

Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture

Virtual Kansas Dairy Farm Tour Goes Live on YouTube

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:52:14 GMT

In celebration of Ag Day and Ag Month, the agricultural organizations in Kansas partnered together to launch a virtual tour of a dairy farm. The video, which has been posted on the KSRE YouTube channel , features a Kansas dairy farm and can be used as an educational tool for classrooms and organizations statewide.

For the event, three fifth grade classes from Norton, Williamsburg and Leon were virtually transported to Steve Strickler’s dairy farm near Iola, Kansas.

The students began the virtual tour by watching a pre-recorded video tour of Strickler’s farm. Strickler then visited with the students about life on a dairy farm. The students were then able to ask questions and interact with Strickler and his herdsman, Harry Clubine to gain a better understanding of Kansas agriculture.

The virtual farm tour is part of Kansas Ag Month celebrations to highlight the agriculture industry in Kansas and encourage involvement of the Neighbor to Neighbor Food Drive, happening around the state to help our neighbors in need. Special thanks are given to the Neighbor to Neighbor partners including Dillon’s stores statewide, Kansas Food Bank, Second Harvest and Harvester’s. Those interested in making a cash donation may do so in Dillon’s stores or online at http://ksn2n.harvestersvfd.org/ Donations made online are directed to the local food distribution organization of the donor’s choosing.

The dairy industry in Kansas continues to grow and expand. There are more than 300 Kansas farm families who take great care of their animals to provide wholesome, nutritious dairy products. Kansas dairies produce more than 336 million gallons of milk, annually.

A certain highlight of the virtual dairy tour for the students was the treat of milk and cookies at the conclusion of the presentation provided by the sponsors of the Ag Day celebration.

KDA encourages the watching and sharing of this virtual farm tour. You can access the video here .

Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture

Governor Brownback Declares June is Kansas Dairy Month

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:48:27 GMT

Surrounded by Kansas dairymen and Kansas FFA members, Governor Sam Brownback signed the proclamation declaring June as Kansas Dairy Month. Glasses of milk were raised in toast to a month that celebrates dairymen who get ice cream, cheese, yogurt and other dairy food favorites from farm to plate.

“Kansas dairymen are dedicated to innovation and adding economic value to their communities and our state,” said Governor Brownback. “The growth of the dairy industry means more wholesome dairy products for families in Kansas and throughout the region.”

The dairy industry in Kansas is experiencing continuous growth, expanding at the fastest rate in the nation in 2013. The industry adds economic value to the state through jobs and the more than $592 million value of milk produced annually. There are more than 300 Kansas farm families who take great care of their animals to provide wholesome, nutritious dairy products. Kansas dairies produce more than 336 million gallons of milk, annually.
The high teams in two Kansas FFA Career Development Events (CDE) were in attendance to kick off Kansas Dairy Month. Competing this fall in the National FFA Milk Quality and Products CDE will be the Anderson County FFA Chapter. Team members are Alexis Pedrow, Melissa Kropf, Adam Kropf and Bailey Wolken. This CDE assists students in developing team decision-making skills with a focus on promoting practical learning activities in milk quality and dairy products. The Anderson County FFA advisor is Jeff Gillespie.

Buhler FFA was the high team in the Kansas FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management CDE. The team, whose members are Kelli Schrag, Lacy Pitts, Jason Klamm and Alexis Branscom will be competing in at the national level in the fall. This CDE emphasizes skills in dairy cattle management and evaluation in order to prepare agriculture education students for industry positions or management of a modern dairy herd.

Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture

Kansas Sees Increase in Dairy Production

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:43:55 GMT

Source: Associated Press

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says milk production from Kansas dairies was up last month.

The USDA says milk production from Kansas dairies totaled 244 million pounds in November, that a 7.5 percent increase from the same month last year.

The production per cow averaged 1,810 pounds, up 40 pounds from 2012. The number of dairy cows was estimated at 135,000 head, which is up 7,000 from the previous year.

The Wichita Eagle reports the recent drought and high corn prices caused producers to reduce herds. But the drought has eased and corn prices have fallen since summer, so farmers are sending fewer cattle to feedlots.

DFA Powder Plant in Kansas Sustains Fire Damage

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:54:07 GMT

A dry milk powder processing plant owned and operated by Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) in Garden City, Kan., sustained close to $1 million in damages due to a fire that erupted last Wednesday.

According to a report in The Garden City Telegram , Garden City fire fighters battled the blaze for more than four hours. Thirty-four people were safely evacuated from the building and none were hurt.

DFA confirmed the fire in a cryptic statement, saying an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway and that no further details are available at this time.

The damage estimate, noted above, was made by Garden City Fire Chief Allen Shelton.

Select Sires Reveals Cooperative Merger Creating Premier Select Sires

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:53:45 GMT

Combining forces, the Select Sire Power, Inc. and Southeast Select Sires, Inc. will officially become one and renamed Premier Select Sires, Inc. effective Jan. 1, 2019.

The same specialists who currently serve beef and dairy customers will continue to support their local member-owners, only as part of a larger team with a wider network of in-house support, according to Select Sires. Premier Select Sires will combine the territories of the two previous cooperatives, covering a total of 23 states.

These states include:

Maine
Vermont
Maryland
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Delaware
Connecticut
New York
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Rhode Island
West Virginia
Virginia
North Carolina
Florida
Kansas
Tennessee
Arkansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
And Washington DC

“Premier Select Sires is the result of combining two financially strong cooperatives in order to benefit both memberships with pooled resources. We look forward to working together to continue to be the Premier genetic provider,” said Tim Riley, General Manager of Southeast Select Sires, in a press release.

Because of an aligned set of strengths and goals, the boards of Select Sire Power and Southeast Select Sires unanimously approved the affiliation agreement.

“This is a very exciting time for both organizations and we look forward to charting a successful future together. The larger cooperative will allow us to provide greater diversity of products and services to meet the modern needs of beef and dairy producers throughout our territory,” said Mark Carpenter, General Manager of Select Sire Power and future CEO of Premier Select Sires.

This is not the first merger the company has experienced throughout the past two years. In June 2017, Select Sires and Accelerated Genetics announced that Select Sires would acquire the assets of Accelerated Genetics.

This news also comes after the announcement of the holding companies Alta Genetics and GENEX forming their new organization, URUS. The intent to merge Koepon Holding BV and Cooperative Resources International (CRI) was first announced last December. Included in the merger are the following companies: AgSource , Alta Genetics , GENEX , Jetstream Genetics , PEAK/GENESIS , SCCL and VAS .

Chinese Company, Dairy Farmers Plan Kansas Plant

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:51:46 GMT

A Chinese company and the Dairy Farmers of America say they are planning a $100 million plant in Kansas but the location and other details are not being publicly released.

The Dairy Farmers of America, a cooperative owned by 13,000 dairy farmers based in Kansas City, is working with the Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group on the project, The Kansas City Star reported .

The plant’s location has not been disclosed but that it will likely be in western Kansas, where most of the state’s milk production occurs. It is expected to produce up to 88,000 tons of milk powder a year.

According to a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Dairy Farmers of America will contribute $70 million and the Chinese company $30 million to build the plant, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The deal would be important to the United States’ efforts to attract a larger share of China’s increasing demand for dairy products, an industry analyst said.

“It’s kind of our growing up,” said Alan Levitt, vice president of communications for the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “To put up a plant geared to exports is very significant.”

The Kansas City cooperative formed a partnership with Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, a leading Chinese dairy processor, two years ago.

“Today, we have committed to an historic initiative to bring DFA and Yili even closer together,” Rick Smith, president and CEO of Dairy Farmers of America, said in a statement.

The project comes as China is scrambling to supply enough milk to its citizens and Levitt said the country will have a long-term need for imports. It also wants to diversify its milk sources after relying on New Zealand for 60 percent of its imports before a drought last year damaged its supply.