News

K-State agricultural economist Mykel Taylor announces that the new 2019 Kansas County-Level Cash Rents for Non-Irrigated Cropland report has just been released by K-State...it identifies the average cash lease rate for dryland crop ground county-by-county, as a baseline from which farmers and their landlords can negotiate leasing arrangements for this next cropping season.

The director of the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center at K-State, Brian Briggeman, and the associate director of the Kansas Farm Management Association at K-State, Mark Dikeman, talk about a late-breaking development that grain farmers and cooperatives should know about...it could have a one-time impact on a farmer's ability to claim a section 199A tax deduction on grain sales.

K-State agricultural economist Art Barnaby reports on K-State's preliminary evaluation of the price-support and risk-management features of the new farm bill:  he looks at making the choice between the ARC and PLC program options, and talks about subtle changes to the crop insurance program. There is also discussion with Art, who reflects on what he considers the most significant developments in federal farm "safety net" provisions and crop insurance over his 39-year career at K-State, as he is retiring at the end of this month.

K-State agricultural economist Jesse Tack talks about his latest study of the adoption of genetically-modified corn over the last three decades, and how that technology has helped producers contend with changes in climatic patterns over that time...his work says that genetically-engineered corn has contributed favorably toward that end.

The director of Extension at K-State, Gregg Hadley, talks about the highlights in Extension programs and activities over the past year in the areas of agriculture, water resources, farm financial mediation, irrigation technology advances, and more, including the areas of health, youth development and community vitality. He points out efforts at developing a culture of health in Kansas communities, and expanding the 4-H experience to reach an ever-greater number of youth.

Brian Coffey and Terry Griffin talk about their new economic analysis of how taking part or all of a day off from farming activities for religious purposes affects farm income...their work shows that there is a cost to observing the Sabbath, although that has to be weighed against the faith and spiritual value of doing so.

Link to article. 

K-State precision agriculture economist Terry Griffin and graduate researcher Emily Carls talk about the economics of transitioning from conventional crop production to organic production as a means of diversifying farm income. They studied the likelihood of economically succeeding with such a conversion over several years' time and the factors that would influence that.

Agricultural policy specialist Brad Lubben of the University of Nebraska takes a closer look at the commodity title of the 2018 Farm Bill as it is on the verge of becoming law:  specifically, the modifications the ARC and PLC crop payment programs that will likely be of benefit to producers...he also talks about a change in the acreage cap for the Conservation Reserve Program, allowing for more acres to be enrolled.