USDA CONDUCTS END-OF-YEAR HOGS AND PIGS SURVEY
MANHATTAN, Kan. November 15, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is contacting producers for the December Hogs and Pigs Survey.
This end-of-year survey is the most comprehensive gathering of quarterly data on market hog and
breeding stock inventories as well as pig crop and farrowing intentions in every state.
“According to the most recent Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report in September, there were 77.7 million
hogs and pigs in the United States,” said Doug Bounds, Kansas State Statistician. “The December
survey and resulting report will continue to provide important indicators for the industry of what
changes are occurring – if any.”
NASS will mail the questionnaires to all producers selected for the survey in late November. To ensure
all survey participants have an opportunity to respond, NASS interviewers will contact producers who
do not respond by mail or online to conduct telephone and personal interviews.
The data gathered in this survey allow NASS to accurately measure and report conditions and trends in
the U.S. pork industry over the course of the year. The information is used by all sectors of the industry,
including producers themselves, to help make sound and timely business decisions.
NASS will publish the survey results in the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report on December 23. All NASS
reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/. For more information, call the NASS
Northern Plains Regional Office at (800) 582-6443.
USDA NASS TO COLLECT 2019 CROP PRODUCTION AND STOCKS DATA
MANHATTAN, Kan. – As the 2019 growing season comes to an end, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to gather final year-end crop production numbers and the amount of grain and oilseeds
stored on their farms. At the same time, NASS will survey grain facility operators to determine year-end off-farm grain and oilseed stocks.
“These surveys are the largest and most important year-end surveys conducted by NASS,” explained NASS’s Kansas State Statistician Doug Bounds. “They are the basis for the official USDA estimates of
production and harvested acres of all major agricultural commodities in the United States as well as
grain and oilseed supplies. Data from the survey will benefit farmers and processors by providing timely
and accurate information to help them make crucial year-end business decisions and begin planning for
the next growing and marketing season.”
“Responses to the survey will be used in calculating county-level yields which have a direct impact on
farmers around the State. USDA’s Farm Service Agency uses the data in administering producer
programs and in determining disaster assistance program calculations,” said Bounds. “NASS cannot
publish a county yield unless it receives enough reports from producers in that county to make a
statistically defensible estimate. So, it is very important that producers respond to this survey. In 2018,
NASS was unable to publish several large producing counties due to an insufficient number of
responses.”
“As required by Federal law, all responses are completely confidential,” Bounds continued. “We
safeguard the privacy of all respondents, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be
identified. Individual responses are also exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.”
Survey results will be published in several reports, including the Crop Production Annual Summary and
the quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on January 10. These and all NASS reports are
available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information call the NASS Kansas Field Office
at 800-582-6443.
KANSAS CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
MANHATTAN, Kan. November 12, 2019 – For the week ending November 10, 2019, there
were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics
Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 32 short, 59 adequate, and
1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 25 short, 67 adequate, and
2 surplus.
Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 4 percent very poor, 11 poor, 34 fair,
42 good, and 9 excellent. Winter wheat planted was 96 percent, ahead of 89 last year, and equal
to the five-year average. Emerged was 79 percent, near 76 last year, but behind 84 average.
Corn harvested was 90 percent, near 88 last year and 94 average.
Soybeans harvested was 83 percent, ahead of 72 last year, but near 86 average.
Sorghum harvested was 84 percent, well ahead of 60 last year, and ahead of 75 average.
Cotton condition rated 2 percent very poor, 14 poor, 40 fair, 39 good, and 5 excellent. Cotton
harvested was 26 percent, ahead of 17 last year, and equal to average.
Sunflowers harvested was 81 percent, well ahead of 61 last year, and ahead of 68 average.
Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 10 poor,
30 fair, 52 good, and 5 excellent.
Kansas Attorney General, Secretary of Agriculture settle raw milk advertising lawsuit
TOPEKA – (November 6, 2019) – The Shawnee County District Court has approved a settlement resolving a lawsuit that challenged a Kansas law regulating the advertisement of raw milk, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam said today.
District Judge Richard Anderson today approved the consent judgment ending the litigation over Kansas’ ban on the advertising of raw milk or raw milk products other than by a sign on the premises of a dairy farm. The lawsuit, together with the settlement, was filed October 28 against Beam in his official capacity as head of the Department of Agriculture by Mark and Coraleen Bunner, operators of Shepherd’s Gate Dairy, LLC, near Pfeifer. On September 9, the plaintiffs had threatened litigation unless the Department agreed not to enforce the provision.
Under the terms of the settlement, the parties agree the advertising ban violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and the Kansas Constitution Bill of Rights Section 11 and is therefore unenforceable. The statute was enacted in 1967, before the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the First Amendment to protect commercial speech in the manner it does today.
“The statute restricting advertising of raw milk does not comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s modern application of the First Amendment to commercial speech and is plainly unconstitutional,” Schmidt said. “While we typically provide a rigorous defense for every statute enacted by the Legislature, in this case where there exists no plausible legal defense the better and less-costly course of action is for the Department of Agriculture to work with the Legislature to modify the statute so it complies with the U.S. Constitution.”
The Department of Agriculture intends to propose legislation next year regarding the uniform labeling of raw milk products, which would address the constitutionally defective regulation of advertising at issue in this case.
“We look forward to the opportunity to clarify this statute and remove the unconstitutional restriction on advertisement of raw milk,” Beam said. “The on-farm sale of raw, unpasteurized milk continues to be the only allowable method of distribution for raw milk, as a means of protecting public health and safety due to the high degree of risk associated with unpasteurized dairy products.”
The statute in question is currently codified at K.S.A. 65-771(cc). The specific provision in question, which dates back to 1967, reads: “…so long as the person making such sales does not promote the sale of milk or milk products to the public in any manner other than by the erection of a sign upon the premises of the dairy farm.” The statute makes violation of the advertising prohibition a misdemeanor.
KDA Participates in Ag Trade Mission to Uruguay
MANHATTAN, Kan. — In September, the Kansas Department of Agriculture participated in a trade mission to Uruguay, where the team attended the Rural del Prado 2019, the most prominent livestock show in the country. In addition, the Kansas delegation had the opportunity to meet with officials from the U.S. Embassy and visited three ranches in western Uruguay: El Caballero, Durazno; Rincón de los Tapes, Durazno; and Curupí del Salvador, Mercedes.
Representing Kansas on the trade mission were: Megan Larson, Fink Beef Genetics, Olsburg; Gerri Schumacher, Schumacher Trust Ranch, Hays; Kelly Younkin, Smoky Y Ranch Red Angus, Oakley; and Shirley Acedo, KDA agribusiness development coordinator.
Uruguay is a relatively small beef producer, especially when compared to its neighbors, Brazil and Argentina. Despite its status as a small producer, Uruguay has strict sanitary protocols and an extensive traceability system and is well-positioned as a leading exporter of beef to markets such as China and the EU. Because of this, Uruguayan breeders are expected to continue to enjoy higher-than-normal returns in 2020. During this time of profitable production, cattlemen in Uruguay are seeking improved and diverse genetics — Kansas producers see this as an excellent export opportunity.
“The Kansas Department of Agriculture provided the opportunity to meet face to face with producers from Uruguay, which is more personable than communicating via email or phone,” said Larson. “It was a way for me to learn more about their type of cattle and provide insights on the advantage of Kansas genetics to their operations.”
Younkin agreed. “I greatly appreciated the opportunity to make this very informative trip to Uruguay. I believe Smoky Y could extend the phenotypic strength of Uruguayan beef cattle while infusing genetic diversity, which matches the core values of Smoky Y Ranch.”
“Trade missions like these are vital to connecting Kansans with export opportunities. Trade is contingent upon relationships which are essential to trade exploration and growth,” stated Acedo. U.S. total exports of agricultural products to Uruguay totaled $77 million in 2018. Over the past 5 years, Kansas has exported nearly $1.4 million in agricultural commodities to Uruguay, primarily residues.
The trade mission was organized by KDA and the U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. KDA strives to encourage and enhance the economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy by exploring and expanding both domestic and international marketing opportunities. The Kansas Ag Growth Project identified beef as a key component for state growth.
Reimbursement funds available from the Kansas Department of Agriculture
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Agriculture has funds available for
reimbursement to Kansas specialty crop growers who attend an educational conference with a
primary focus on specialty crops. Qualifying conferences may include sessions about production
practices, specialized equipment and technology, pest and disease management, specialty crop
marketing practices, or business principles for specialty crop producers.
Applicants who apply for the reimbursement will be required to attend the conference and to
complete surveys before, immediately after, and six months post-conference prior to payment
being issued. Conferences not eligible will include those within the state of Kansas and the Great
Plains Growers Conference. KDA will reimburse Kansas specialty crop growers up to $850 each
in order to offset the cost of their conference registration, mileage/flights, hotel, meals, etc. The
award is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for application is December 15,
2019.
Examples of conferences that may be eligible for applicants to attend include, but are not limited
to:
North American Strawberry Growers Association Conference; January 19-22, 2020; San
Antonio, Texas
North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association Conference; March 3-6, 2020; St.
Louis, Missouri
Great Lakes Expo Fruit, Vegetable, & Farm Market Conference; December 10-12, 2019;
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention; February 28-30, 2020; Hershey, Pennsylvania
Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference; January 9-12, 2020; Savannah, Georgia
This program is made possible by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant
(SCBG). The SCBG makes funds available to state departments of agriculture solely to enhance
the competitiveness of specialty crops. According to USDA, specialty crops are defined as “fruits,
vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.”
This grant fits KDA’s mission to provide an environment that enhances and encourages economic
growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy