Farm Talk Newspaper

07/03/2025

Tar spot, a fungal disease that has steadily established itself in Kansas cornfields over the past few years, has been detected again in the state, with the first confirmed report of 2025 occurring June 11 in northeast Kansas.

“I think we have learned a lot in the last (few) years in terms of distribution and management,” K-State Row Crop Pathologist Rodrigo Onofre said. “It is one of the corn diseases that we see survive in corn residue, so folks that have seen this spot before are going to be dealing with this disease for a long time..."
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/tar-spot-confirmed-in-kansas-cornfields-for-2025-k-state-pathologist-urges-early-scouting/article_bc46fe2c-680b-4401-a62a-212dd2067777.html

Tar spot, a fungal disease that has steadily established itself in Kansas cornfields over the past few years, has been detected again in the state, with the first confirmed report

07/02/2025

A five man harvest crew, plus three truck drivers, are on standby. An hour ago they cut a wheat sample from the field they’re at and sent it to the co-op. They need to verify the moisture content before proceeding to harvest, otherwise the elevator won’t take it. It has to be below 13.5% or the wheat will mold in storage.

“I wish we could carry on. I don’t want to stop,” says Luke, a 26 year old worker from the east coast of South Africa. “This rain has been pretty frustrating. I just want to work..."
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/till-the-last-truck-comes-off-the-field/article_d1f14bb6-f20e-448e-a593-50143142d8f7.html

07/01/2025

Coming into the July 4 holiday, wholesale ground beef prices pushed to new record levels. Prices for 90 percent lean trimmings, which are the backbone of ground beef markets, have increased continually the past three years...
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/temperatures-and-hamburger-prices-hot-for-independence-day/article_67cb7449-d46b-4975-942f-78f0c6804536.html




Oklahoma State Ferguson College of Agriculture Oklahoma State University Extension

Coming into the July 4 holiday, wholesale ground beef prices pushed to new record levels. Prices for 90 percent lean trimmings, which are the backbone of ground beef markets, have

07/01/2025

It’s a Monday evening, and about 87% of my skin has been stained a dark crimson red, including the handle of a nearby rake I just had to weaponize.

Steam is shooting out of my ears as I vigorously scrub my hands in the skink using a combination of Bath and Body Works hand soap, and Fast Orange hand cleaner.

If It had been blood I was washing off my hands, it would have been no problem, but I’m not covered in blood. I’m covered in fence stain, and I’m attempting to scrub it off in the same aggressive fashion my dad tried on my first tattoo...
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/y-all-i-have-more-duck-drama/article_99071b6f-0cb4-4d4c-8249-0102eb5d49c2.html

I’d like to start this one off with an eye roll...

06/30/2025

The latest USDA Cattle on Feed report highlights the important distinction between stocks and flows in data. Cattle on Feed is a stock (or inventory) value at a point in time, while placements and marketings are flows of cattle through feedlots. Feedlot placements of cattle in May were down 7.8 percent year over year, a slightly bigger decrease than expected...
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The latest USDA Cattle on Feed report highlights the important distinction between stocks and flows in data. Cattle on Feed is a stock (or inventory) value at a point in

06/29/2025

1. Wearing worn out mud boots... 🥾
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/new-farm-inspired-olympic-event-100m-dash-with-participants-doing-these-10-things/article_9a86b2fc-f778-426c-a9b8-8850a506c902.html

1. Wearing worn out mud boots

06/29/2025

“Hay’s been ready to cut for two weeks,” Charles Orr says. “We haven’t been able to do much field work since the middle of May. We just thought it would rain some then quit.” 🌧

In the last 30 days northern Oklahoma has received over 12 inches of rain — seven inches above the monthly average. The consistent rain has stalled haying season and wheat harvest — both typically started in May — and intermittent flooding has damaged river bottom acres...
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/that-s-mother-nature-and-that-s-farming-floods-delaying-hay-season-in-northern-oklahoma/article_9e8095fe-09e1-4877-a761-b202f90684b7.html

06/28/2025

Farm Talk recently gained a new addition to their advertising staff this summer. ✨Melinda Thornberry,✨ a native of southeast Kansas, is ready to take the reins as Farm Talk’s newest Missouri and Arkansas Advertising representative. 😆She’s already hit the ground running and is excited to utilize her rural background and skills to serve the four-state area and its ag communities. 👩‍🌾👩‍🌾

Associate Editor Lauren Dossey sat down with Melinda to ask a few get-to-know-you questions and find out what she looks forward to most in her new position...
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/faces-of-farm-talk-getting-to-know-advertising-representative-melinda-thornberry/article_fe56e15a-dd77-438a-b46b-380f7d31e8cd.html

06/28/2025

According to the 2022 agricultural census, the average age for an Arkansas farmer is roughly 57 years old — just a few years shy of the national average retirement age. 👩‍🌾👩‍🌾

“We have to keep the overall agriculture industry thriving, and to do that, we have to create new farmers or grow new farmers,” Dr. Deacue Fields, the Vice President for Agriculture of the University of Arkansas Division, said at the 2025 Farmers for Tomorrow Benefit in Fayetteville Arkansas...
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/how-to-grow-a-farmer/article_0e9e5228-cbd1-49c9-840c-4a886c606626.html

06/27/2025

“According to the U.S. Census Bureau, foreign-born workers made up less than 19% of employed workers in the United States in 2023. But they accounted for nearly 24% of jobs preparing and serving food and 38% of jobs in farming, fishing and forestry,” Wiseman reported. “‘It really is clear to me that the people pushing for these raids that target farms and feed yards and dairies have no idea how farms operate,’ Matt Teagarden, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association, said Tuesday during a virtual press conference...”
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/considering-immigration-relief-for-farmworkers-ice-reverses-exemption-of-ag-from-raids/article_ca7eea39-7bc7-413c-8f99-e1e789771b0f.html

“President Donald Trump again is saying he wants to shield farmers from the effects of his crackdown on illegal immigration, just days after his administration reinstated workplace raids on agricultural

06/27/2025

Friday night, June 20th, kicked off the first day of the annual ✨Bourbon County Fair & Rodeo✨ at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds in Fort Scott, Kansas. Cowboys, cowgirls, spectators, and brave kiddos 🤠 gathered at the Fairgrounds for an exciting night of fast livestock and even quicker horses. 🐎💨

Spectating kiddos had the opportunity to compete in mutton busting before the rodeo and take their chance at a cash prize in the calf scramble. Mallory Crews was announced as the new 2025 Miss Rodeo Fort Scott queen👑 and Juley Martin was crowned the inaugural Junior Miss Rodeo Fort Scott. 🥳



Bourbon County Fair - Fort Scott, KS

06/23/2025

The January 1, 2025 beef cow inventory was 27.86 million head, down 0.5 percent from the previous year. Was 2025 the smallest cow herd inventory for the current cattle cycle? It is looking more likely that it might be the low. Herd growth this year depends on the amount of cow culling relative to the supply of bred heifers that will enter the herd during the year...
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https://www.farmtalknews.com/news/is-herd-rebuilding-happening-and-where/article_74a39ddf-abbc-4e59-be90-c73a69c6d947.html

Oklahoma State Ferguson College of Agriculture

The January 1, 2025 beef cow inventory was 27.86 million head, down 0.5 percent from the previous year. Was 2025 the smallest cow herd inventory for the current cattle cycle?