Agriculture Today

Latest Episodes:

2135 - Wildlife Around Brush Piles...Annual Medical Exam Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

Fins, Fur and Feathers: Brush Piles Burning Around Wildlife
Farmers and Ranchers go to the Doctor
2026 Factors for Dairy Producers

00:01:05 – Fins, Fur and Feathers: Brush Piles Burning Around Wildlife: Part of a Fins, Fur and Feathers podcast episode with Drew Ricketts and Joe Gerken starts the show as they chat about Joe recently burning a brush pile and its impact on surrounding wildlife.

Fins, Fur and Feathers

wildlife.k-state.edu

00:12:05 – Farmers and Ranchers go to the Doctor: Keeping the show going is K-State's Erin Martinez, aging expert, as she discusses what farmers and ranchers should get medically evaluated and what things could be impacting their work.

00:23:05 – 2026 Factors for Dairy Producers: K-State dairy specialist Mike Brouk ends today's show looking at key factors for dairy producers in 2026.

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

Agriculture Today is a daily program featuring Kansas State University agricultural specialists and other experts examining ag issues facing Kansas and the nation. It is hosted by Shelby Varner and distributed to radio stations throughout Kansas and as a daily podcast.

K‑State Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit Extension.ksu.edu. K-State Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

2134 - Market Demand in Cattle...Ryegrass Control Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

Up and Down in the Cattle Market
War Against Weeds: Annual Ryegrass
K-State Junior Sheep Producer Day

00:01:05 – Up and Down in the Cattle Market: Glynn Tonsor, K-State livestock economist, starts the show explaining the mixed bag in the cattle market and the February Meat Demand Monitor.

Glynn on AgManager.info

00:12:05 – War Against Weeds: Annual Ryegrass: Part of a War Against Weeds podcast episode continues the show as Alyssa Essman, Joe Ikley, Tom Barber, Charlie Cahoon and Larry Streckel who are all university experts from around the United States chat about annual ryegrass.

Annual Ryegrass - Full Episode

War Against Weeds Podcast

00:23:05 – K-State Junior Sheep Producer Day: Ending the show is K-State's Lexie Hayes as she discusses the learning opportunities at the K-State Junior Sheep Producer Day.

Junior Sheep Producer Day

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2133 - March Grain Market Expectations...A Mixture of Weather Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

Rally in the Grain Market
Wet Weather and Fire Weather
Musil Center for Sustainable Wheat Production

00:01:05 – Rally in the Grain Market: K-State grain economist, Daniel O'Brien, kicks off today's show discussing a few rallies he is seeing in the grain market and what he expects will impact the market in March.

Daniel on AgManager.info

00:12:05 – Wet Weather and Fire Weather: Chip Redmond, K-State meteorologist, keeps the show moving as he explains the mixture of foggy weather and fire concerns in Kansas and what he forecasts this month.

00:23:05 – Musil Center for Sustainable Wheat Production: Ending the show is a Kansas Wheat, Wheat Scoop as Gordon Clark talks about the first realized legacy gift and establishing the Musil Center for Sustainable Wheat Production.

kswheat.com

Extension.K-State.edu

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2132 - Price Changes for Crude Oil and Gas...Neospora, From Canine to Cattle Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

Recent Gas Price Changes Due to Conflict
Is Neospora Causing Cattle Abortions?
Testing Seed Viability

00:01:05 – Recent Gas Price Changes Due to Conflict: Gregg Ibendahl, K-State Extension farm economist, begins today's show as he mentions the recent global conflict and how it has impacted oil prices and its relationship with gas prices.

What Does a Middle Eastern War Mean for Gas Prices?

00:12:05 – Is Neospora Causing Cattle Abortions?: The show continues with K-State veterinarian Gregg Hanzlicek discussing neospora and how it can be the cause of abortions and how cattle can become infected with it.

866-512-5350

ksvdl.org

00:23:05 – Testing Seed Viability: K-State Extension horticulture expert, Matt McKernan, ends the show saying how gardeners can test their leftover seeds for viability with a seed germination test and have an answer in 10-14 days.

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2131 - Where the FSA Director has Been...Water Meetings in Southwest Kansas Mar 04, 2026

Show notes

Kansas FSA Director Update
Water Smart Management Meetings
Veterinary School Applications

00:01:05 – Kansas FSA Director Update: Starting the show is David Schemm, state executive director of the Kansas Farm Service Agency, as he shares his updates from the agency and what programs are available for producers.

Farmers.gov

00:12:05 – Water Smart Management Meetings: K-State Extension agronomist Logan Simon keeps the show moving as he previews the Water Smart Management for a Resilient Future educational meetings in Southwest Kansas.

Registration Link

lsimon@ksu.edu

00:23:05 – Veterinary School Applications: Part of the Beef Cattle Institute's Cattle Chat podcast ends the show as these experts discuss what they view as important to have a successful veterinary school application.

BCI Cattle Chat Podcast

Bovine Science with BCI Podcast

Email BCI at bci@ksu.edu

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2130 - Starts of This Year's Crop Pests...Evaluating Damaged Brome Fields Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

Scouting for Crop Insect Pests
Damaged or Dead Brome Hayfield Options
Picking Crops that Need Less Water

00:01:05 – Scouting for Crop Insect Pests: K-State Extension entomologist Anthony Zukoff starts the show as he explains what crop pests he is already keeping an eye out for and if it is common for them to be out at this time of year.

Pest Management K-State

Bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu

Mesonet.K-State.edu

00:12:05 – Damaged or Dead Brome Hayfield Options: Tina Sullivan, K-State Extension agronomist, continues the show as she recognizes the concerns surrounding dead or damaged brome fields from fall armyworms.

Options for Damaged or Dead Brome

00:23:05 – Picking Crops that Need Less Water: Ending the show is K-State dairy specialist Mike Brouk as he encourages producers, when possible, to increase the use of crops requiring less water, as it accounts for a large percentage of an operations water use.

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2129 - Livestock Market Trade and Storage...Price Discovery Numbers Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

Livestock Trade and Meat Storage
Price Discovery Closes
Prescribed Fire for Wildlife Benefits

00:01:05 – Livestock Trade and Meat Storage: A cattle market update from Tyler Cozzens, director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center, begins today's show. He reviews the recent trade and cold storage reports.

00:12:05 – Price Discovery Closes: Keeping today's show moving is Jenny Ifft, K-State Flinchbaugh agricultural policy chair, discussing finished price discovery for crop insurance.

00:23:05 – Prescribed Fire for Wildlife Benefits: K-State wildlife specialist, Drew Ricketts, ends the show explaining how prescribed fire is beneficial for wildlife populations and what has the biggest impact on species.

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2128 - Grain Market Supply and Demand...Cattle Care After Fires Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

Kansas Crop Prices and Exports
Cattle Maintenance After Prairie Fires
Temperature and Precipitation Swings

00:01:05 – Kansas Crop Prices and Exports: K-State grain economist, Daniel O'Brien, begins the show as he discusses more information learned from the Ag Outlook Forum and how prices and exports were this week

Daniel on AgManager.info

00:12:05 – Cattle Maintenance After Prairie Fires: Justin Waggoner, K-State Extension beef cattle specialist, keeps the show rolling as he talks about cattle maintenance needs after prairie fires.

Justin Waggoner

00:23:05 – Temperature and Precipitation Swings: Ending the show is K-State meteorologist, Chip Redmond, as he highlights the recent precipitation and temperature swings and if there is more in our forecast.

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2127 - Livestock Risk Protection for Feeder Cattle...Kansas Cattle Risk Management Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

Livestock Risk Protection Use in Kansas, Part 1
Livestock Risk Protection Use in Kansas, Part 2
Caring for Houseplants

00:01:05 – Livestock Risk Protection Use in Kansas, Part 1: Starting the show is Brian Coffey, K-State agricultural economist, and Yifei Zhang, senior research economist with the Agricultural Risk Policy Center at North Dakota State University, as they discuss research into Kansas producers using Livestock Risk Protection for feeder cattle.

00:12:05 – Livestock Risk Protection Use in Kansas, Part 2: Brian and Yifei keep the show and their conversation going as they converse about how producers have been using this risk management tool.

Use of Feeder Cattle Livestock Risk Protection Insurance in Kansas

AgManager.info

00:23:05 – Caring for Houseplants: K-State consumer horticulture Extension associate, Matt McKernan, ends the show chatting about how to tell if a houseplant needs repotting, how to determine pot size and how to care for plants that are root-bound.

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

2126 - Prairie Fires Tax Hurdles...Broadcast Seeding Legumes Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

Legal Issues for Producers After the Prairie Fires
Frost Seeding Legumes
Bull Buying Considerations

00:01:05 – Legal Issues for Producers After the Prairie Fires: Roger McEowen, K-State and Washburn law professor, starts the show discussing legal and tax issues that agriculture producers could be looking into due to the recent prairie fires.

Legal and Tax Issues Associated with Prairie Fires

00:12:05 – Frost Seeding Legumes: K-State Extension agronomist, Tina Sullivan, keeps the show rolling as she highlights frost seeding legumes and why this option could be beneficial and factors to remember.

Frost-Seeding Legumes into Established Cool-Season Forages

00:23:05 – Bull Buying Considerations: Ending the show is the Beef Cattle Institute with part of their Cattle Chat podcast as they chat about what they recommend looking into when filtering through cattle buying prospects.

BCI Cattle Chat Podcast

Bovine Science with BCI Podcast

Email BCI at bci@ksu.edu

Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu.

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