Dig Deep - Kansas State University Ag Research

In the United States we have agencies and organizations at federal, state, and local levels that work to ensure the safety of the food we eat. As animals and animal byproducts are part of many human diets, it's also important to ensure the safety of livestock feed. Jordan Gebhardt is an assistant professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. He'll discuss some of his recent work in livestock feed biosecurity.

Today's farmers and ranchers have to do a lot more than grow wheat or raise cows and calves--they also have to be machinery technicians, computer programmers, and business managers. It's that last one that for many is most difficult hill to climb. Gregg Ibendahl is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, and a farm management economist for K-State Research and Extension. He details some of his work with the Kansas Farm Management Association, and explains how Kansas producers can benefit through membership with that organization.

K-State Research and Extension specialists and agents are charged with delivering research-based information to their stakeholders, the citizens of Kansas. Through more than 100 years of history, they've encountered challenges and obstacles as small as a downed internet connection or a burned out bulb on a slide projector, to major weather events like floods, wildfires or tornadoes. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has forced agents and producers to adapt on the fly, employing different methods and strategies for both impromptu gatherings and annual events with decades of history. Justin Waggoner, a beef cattle specialist with the Southwest Area Research and Extension Center, shares some of his experiences from this year.

Think back to your high school chemistry class. Recall that atoms of chemical elements--hydrogen and oxygen, for example--can be combined into molecules of compounds, such as water. The atoms in these compounds are held together by an electrical charge. Suppose certain compounds could be harnessed for their capability to store massive amounts of electricity? And suppose, further, that such a system could be harnessed to benefit farming, power grids, water conservation and more? Vincent Amanor-Boadu, a professor of agribusiness, economics, and management with Kansas State University, is part of a team that's investigating this idea. He'll explain how this idea, if brought to life, could breathe new life into rural communities in Kansas, and elsewhere.

Soybeans feed both humans and animals. They have also been used in the manufacturing of plastics, ink, building products, candles, even tires. Conservatively, more than 2,000 different varieties of soybeans have been documented--but only a fraction of those varieties are grown on a regular basis. Bill Schapaugh is professor in the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University, as well as a soybean researcher and breeder. He is also the soybean specialist for K-State Research and Extension. He discusses his goal of developing more heat-tolerant varieties of soybeans, and explains the multi-year process of identifying those successful and productive varieties.

Agricultural research requires several things to be successful. Start with a workable theory or proposition, the means to test it, and funding--those things are generally organized by the researcher. Then, there are other things like land, space, equipment, manpower, maintenance and more. Our guest today is responsible for arranging and supervising those and many other important items. Eric Adee is the agronomist-in-charge of Kansas State University's East Central Kansas and Kansas River Valley experiment fields. He'll lead us through some of the details involved in agricultural research, and what makes the university's approach to research so practical.

When it comes to, shall we say, land-based animal protein, American meal tables usually have one of three major choices: beef, pork, and fowl (under which we'll collect chicken, turkey, and a few ducks). But one land animal that rarely makes it to the table is sheep and goat meat. True, you can find lambchops every so often, and roasted goat meat appears in Mexican cuisine as cabrito--and that's about it. But Alison Crane's mission is to change that. She's an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, the faculty supervisor of the Kansas State University Sheep and Meat Goat Center, and the sheep and goat specialist for K-State Research and Extension. Crane is working to bring sheep and goat meat back to the American diet.

Pork Sausage and pancakes for breakfast; turkey and swiss on sourdough for lunch; beef and broccoli stir-fry for dinner. At most meals, on most American tables, you'll find some form of meat. This abundance of power-packed protein is the result of a livestock production, processing and delivery chain that, in terms of safety, speed and efficiency, is unmatched anywhere else on Earth. But this year the strength and flexibility of that chain, like many other things, has been tested by the lurching, chaotic  unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic. Glynn Tonsor, a livestock market economist in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, guides us through some of the memorable incidents of the last 7 or 8 months, and explains how consumer choice, domestic markets, and global trade can strengthen and stabilize that system to keep producers profitable, and keep meat on the table.

On the cusp of our first full academic year during the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 students and parents are facing many tough decisions about how, when, and especially, where the next 9 months of education will happen. These decisions will have ramifications not just for education, but also for cognitive and social development, and family relationships. Elaine Johannes, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Kansas State University. She is also the K-State Research and Extension specialist in youth development, adolescent health and community engagement. Johannes discusses some of the things she will be watching for, and previews an upcoming series of workshops in Manhattan, Kansas.

Hemp is one of our most versatile plants. The seeds can be added to food, hemp oil can be used just like olive oil, and hemp fiber can stand in for cotton and wood pulp. Industrial hemp production is legal in Kansas. Arguably the top hemp researcher in Kansas, Jason Griffin left landscape horticulture behind to help farmers maximize production, and stay on the right side of the law.

For many people, owning land is something they need to make life complete. Farmers need land to plant and harvest crops--and that often means leasing crop land. Mykel Taylor, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, has spent several years looking at land lease arrangements between farmers and land owners. What she found is quite different from the rental procedures common in commercial and residential property management. Taylor is also the state specialist in farm management for K-State Research and Extension.

Prescribed burning provides many advantages to beef cattle ranchers; chiefly, burning clears a pasture of undesirable growth, weeds, and plant debris, and the grass that follows a burn is rich in nutrients and crude protein. But as with most things, there are some downsides to annual prescribed burning. K.C. Olson, a professor in the Department of Animal Science and Industry at Kansas State University, believes that by moving some prescribed burning from spring to late summer, producers can reduce many of the downsides... retain many of the current benefits... and greatly reduce the impact of what is arguably the "supervillain" among noxious weeds in Kansas rangelands. And he's been accumulating research results to back this up.

In the past 40 years, the emergence of technology—especially personal technology—has unleashed a vast river of data. Personal computers, the Internet, mobile phones, and especially their pocket-sized Frankenstein, the smart phone, have opened our lives up to corporations, law enforcement, scam artists, and sometimes, thrill-seekers. You may not think that the average farm or ranch would generate this kind of data, and you’d be right—they probably generate more. Terry Griffin is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, and a K-State Research and Extension cropping systems economist. His recent focus has been on this “Big Data” generated by today’s agriculture—who owns it, who has rights to it, and where does it all go?

Quick! Can you name the four main crops grown in Kansas. We'll pause a few seconds. ............ If you said wheat, corn, soybeans and canola*, you're right! Ignacio Ciampitti is an associate professor in the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University, and the K-State Research and Extension cropping systems agronomist. It's not just about a single field of wheat or corn; rather, it's about the rotation of two or more crops (cover crops, too!), and how they interact with each other, and the soil that supports them. Ignacio says that the word of the decade is "quality" (Soybean growers: think "protein"), as grain markets become more specialized. * PSST! Highlight the blank space with your cursor to see the answer. Mobile users, try giving it the finger.

Imagine a small fleet of automated tractors moving through a field, laying down soybeans or applying fertilizer to select grain sorghum plants. There's a lot more "science" than "fiction" in that scenario, and Dan Flippo, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, explains some of the emerging technology that both universities and private corporations are working that could revolutionize agriculture in the next 20-30 years, or less.

When a plant is out of place, you generally want to get rid of it--that's when Sarah Lancaster gets to work. While other agronomists are working with things like wheat and soybeans, Sarah studies their nemeses--weeds.

Is there a connection between how you manage your money, and how you manage your health? Elizabeth Kish is an associate professor in the School of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University, and is also the K-State Research and Extension specialist in family resource management. She'll discuss her research into the connection between money and health, and how major events have influenced financial views for different generations.

During his tenure with K-State Research and Extension, Ward Upham has put more research into the hands of stakeholders and local agents than, well, most anyone else in the organization. As the horticulture rapid response coordinator, and the state coordinator of the Master Gardener program, Ward has helped home gardeners keep schedule with Mother Nature, and was cranking out an electronic newsletter back when CompuServe and AOL were still forces to be reckoned with.

We share our planet with insects--or do the insects share their planet with us? There's a whole other world crawling beneath our feet and buzzing above our heads. Raymond Cloyd, a horticultural entomologist and plant protection specialist with K-State Research and Extension, discusses his work with insects, and why the most effective form of pest management isn't something you buy in a can or box. We'll discuss insects of all sizes -- including a few that somehow grew to outlandish proportions!

“Safe sex” isn’t just for the younger crowd. Older adults still need physical intimacy, and sexual expression. Erin Yelland, an adult development and aging specialist with K-State Research and Extension, explains why sexual wellness is such an important issue for older adults, especially for those that leave their homes to live elsewhere. She’ll also reveal the results of a recent survey concerning the basic needs of older adults.

We walk on it. We dig in it. As children (and sometimes as adults, too), we play in it. We grow our food in it, and on it. It’s plain oi’ “dirt” to most of us, but to a soil scientist, it’s a world of opportunity. DeAnn Presley is a professor in environmental soil science and management, in the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University. She is also the K-State Research and Extension soil management specialist. She’ll discuss her work with cover crops as a means to improve soil health… and why it’s so critical that we all work together to keep our soils healthy.

Dr. Charles W. Rice (better known as “Chuck”) began his explorations of science as a curious youngster, encouraged by parents and teachers throughout his life. During his three-decade career at Kansas State University, he has traveled the world on behalf of soil science, agriculture, climate science and more.

While some agricultural research happens in various indoor laboratories on the K-State campus, even more research occurs within the network of agricultural experiment stations located across Kansas. The Western Kansas Agricultural Research Centers (WKARC) includes locations in Colby, Garden City, Tribune and Hays, the headquarters of the WKARC. Bob Gillen has been the director of these centers since 2006. Gillen explains what goes into agricultural research... the importance such research plays in our everyday lives... and looks back at some of the accomplishments of the WKARC, as well as some of the key areas of study expected in the years ahead.

The next Kansas City Strip steak you cut into will probably be a little different than the steak you cut into 20 years ago — the difference being, it’s probably a better steak. Great strides are being made in America’s beef industry to deliver a higher quality product to every supermarket, backyard grill and dinner table. Our guest on this edition of Dig Deep is A.J. Tarpoff, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University. He is also the Beef Extension Veterinarian for K-State Research and Extension.

Whenever astronomers peer through their telescopes at distant planets, orbiting stars in galaxies far, far away…and when NASA dispatches probes to Mars, the one thing they all look for is water. If there’s evidence of water on a distant planet, then there might be life of some sort. Certainly on our planet, water is life, for all but a handful of life forms. As our population grows, so does the need for water, and by extension, the need for increasingly efficient strategies for water conservation. Dan Devlin is a professor in the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University. He is also director of the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE), as well as project director for the Great Plains Grazing Project.

We humans know what goes into the food on our plate (usually!), but what goes into that can of dog food, or bag of dry cat food? How is it formulated and processed? How can anyone know that your dog or cat is going to like that new food you brought home from the store? Dr. Greg Aldrich is a Research Associate Professor at Kansas State University, and the Pet Food Program Coordinator in the Department of Grain Science and Industry. His research focuses on the effect processing has on safety, nutrition, and shelf-life of modern pet foods. Dr. Alrich has also taught several courses, both graduate and undergraduate, on subjects including pet food processing and companion animal nutrition. In 2019, he received the Corbin Award in Companion Animal Biology from the American Society of Animal Science for excellence in research and teaching in companion animal biology.

Dr. Cassie Jones is an Assistant Professor of Feed Technology at Kansas State University where she has a joint research, teaching and outreach appointment in the Department of Grain Science & Industry. Her research efforts include evaluating the effects of ingredients or feed processing technologies on feed safety and animal nutrition. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on ingredient quality and feed safety, as well as industry feed manufacturing short courses through the IGP Institute.

Cheryl Boyer is an associate professor of nursery crops at Kansas State University and co-founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement. Currently, Boyer has a 75% extension and 25% research appointment, and she co-teaches the course Nursery Management. Boyer is the first faculty member to hold her position at K-State, and she is eager to help increase the size of the nursery industry in Kansas. This industry is her focus for both her extension and research responsibilities. She serves the growers in Kansas as well as county horticulture extension agents through service to their Master Gardener educational programs. Her position allows Boyer to travel across the state and do what she loves most: helping people meet their business goals and solve production problems, or teaching consumers about landscaping and woody plants.