Accrual net farm income steady in 2024

Government payments and crop insurance helped to keep Kansas accrual net farm income mostly steady in 2024 compared to 2023, according to a report from the Kansas Farm Management Association.

KFMA Executive Director Mark Dikeman said his organization’s analysis indicates an average net farm income of $98,583, down just slightly from $100,618 in 2023 – a 2% drop.

“Dry regions of the state and depressed crop prices led to lower incomes for crop producers,” Dikeman said. “For those in the beef cattle sector, strong market conditions resulted in strong incomes, but also made the cost of replacement and expansion difficult. Government program payments, including payments accrued to the 2024 crop year, provided significant support to producers.”

Dikeman said the U.S. Congress passed the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) in late December, 2024. Even though those payments weren’t received until 2025, on an accrual basis, the payments were earned in 2024. KFMA economists estimated those payments and included them in 2024 as accrued income at year-end.

“In 2024, the average government payment amount received by KFMA farms was $67,136 and the average accrued ECAP payment was $44,300,” Dikeman said. “Producers have just started to receive these ECAP payments, so cash was in short supply at year end.”

He adds: “We knew that cash would be tight into 2025 as well. Cash flow planning is more important for producers than it has been historically, especially looking back 2-3 years when profits were extremely high.”

Dikeman said crop insurance also had a significant effect on net farm income. Net crop insurance proceeds – indemnity payments minus premiums paid – averaged $24,600 for KFMA farms, or about $25% of total net farm income in 2024.

“When you put together net crop insurance and the government payments, that’s about 93% of our net farm income for the year,” Dikeman said. “Without those, net farm income looks pretty bleak.”

The report on 2024 net farm income reflects the averages for 761 Kansas farms working with KFMA economists in the six regions of the state. KFMA economists work individually with farm families to provide farm-specific production and financial management information that can be used for decision-making.

KFMA was formed in 1931.

By region/association, KFMA reported 2024 net farm income in Kansas as follows:

• Northwest -- $139,605
• Southwest -- $88,334
• North Central -- $101,885
• South Central -- $68,989
• Northeast -- $73,379
• Southeast -- $110,259

Dikeman and economists from the six KFMA regions recently gave an overview of net farm income during an interview on the weekday radio program, Agriculture Today, which is available online from K-State Research and Extension.

More detail is also available online in the 2024 KFMA Executive Summary.

Light clothing, cooling vests should be part of safety equipment

Summer’s hottest days are likely still ahead in Kansas, but Tawnie Larson knows that “farm and ranch work won’t stop during hot weather.”

So, Larson -- a program manager in Kansas State University’s Carl and Melinda Helwig Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and the Kansas Agriculture Safety and Health Program – is putting in some sound advice for farmers this summer.

“Wear lightweight, long-sleeved, light-colored clothing, or a cooling vest and take short, frequent breaks in a shaded or cool area to stay cool while working outdoors,” Larson said.

She said that technical cooling vests “are essentially like wearing air conditioning.”

“The vests use specialized fabric and fibers to circulate cooling products to keep body temperatures low during hot days,” she said.

Larson also suggests using equipment with a canopy, such as a Rollover Protection Structure, known as ROPS, with a sunshade.

“Usually, the ROPS with canopies cannot be folded down, which in turn provides more safety for operators because the ROPS is always activated,” Larson said. “Equipment that has an enclosed cab often times comes with air conditioning and has a built-in ROPS. Both of these options provide safety from rollovers and can help prevent heat-related illness.”

Larson notes that each individual reacts to hot days different, so it’s important to listen to your body. “Take frequent breaks and stay inside during the hottest part of the day,” she said.

“Medication may also play a role in affecting one’s body’s ability to stay cool, making it harder to handle the heat,” Larson said. “Before working outside this summer, check with your doctor to see if you’re at higher risk for heat-related illness and whether you should take extra-precautions due to medication.”

According to the Kansas Mesonet, the hottest part of the day in Kansas is between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends drinking 1 cup of water every 15-20 minutes, and before becoming thirsty. The CDC also recommends keeping sugary and alcoholic drinks to a minimum. Replace salt and minerals with snacks or a sports drink.

Heat stroke symptoms include high body temperature; hot, dry, red or damp skin; fast, strong pulse; headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion; and lack of consciousness. Larson said that if a person is suffering from heat stroke:

• Call 9-1-1 immediately.
• Move the person to a cooler place.
• Lower the person’s temperature with cooler clothes.

Do not give the person anything to drink.

“Heat exhaustion is different and usually not as serious,” Larson said, noting that symptoms of exhaustion may include heavy sweating; cold, pale and clammy skin; fast, weak pulse; nausea; tiredness; headache; and fainting.

“If this occurs, take action by moving to a cool place, loosen clothing, get cool, sip water and seek medical attention if symptoms last longer than an hour or get worse,” Larson said.

K-State expert discusses the importance of monitoring livestock for signs of heat stress

It’s county fair season in Kansas, and while local events are a great way to enjoy the sun and time with friends, heat can be an invisible fun bandit for livestock.

Kansas State University beef extension veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff said it’s important for youth showing livestock to watch animals closely and know the symptoms of heat stress.

All animals – as well as people -- can experience heat stress, which occurs when the body cannot get rid of excessive heat, either through sweating or other means.

Tarpoff said cattle handle heat differently than other animals. In particular, they struggle with the ability to sweat, which makes them reliant on getting rid of heat through their respiratory system, such as breathing the heat out. Cattle will accumulate heat during the day, then dissipate the heat load during the night when it's cooler.

“It takes 4-6 hours to return cattle to regular temperature,” Tarpoff said.

He added that one way to tell if a show steer or heifer is affected by heat stress is to look for unusual behavior from that animal. Symptoms may include reduced feed intake, increased time standing and crowding around water. In the show barn, animals may also display an increase in breathing rate.

One way to keep animals cool is to make sure barns get plenty of ventilation. Tarpoff said that heat stress mitigation strategies should be planned with cattle comfort in mind, and each strategy will be unique to the housing situation. Other factors to consider include whether the animal has its winter or summer hair coat; hair color; and past health issues.

Tarpoff said youth should consider reducing animal handling during heat intervals, and having those handling events completed by 10 a.m.

“Weighing, processing, sampling and shipping cattle are all necessary tasks but they should be strategically conducted during the very early morning hours to ensure cattle comfort,” Tarpoff said.

Another way to avoid heat stress is to provide plenty of water to cattle. Tarpoff said the amount of water cattle need doubles as the heat increases from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tarpoff also encourages youth to consider moisture levels from the washing areas. Some locations can artificially increase the humidity and cause unneeded stress on livestock.

“Monitoring conditions and preparing for heat stress is a must when caring for your animals,” he said.

The Kansas Mesonet, a network of Kansas weather stations which has offices on the K-State campus in Manhattan, provides an Animal Comfort Index to help producers and youth monitor care for livestock. The online service is free to the public.

K-State beef extension veterinarian provides solutions for managing heat stressed cattle

Cattle incapable of relieving themselves of high temperatures experience heat stress. Humans alleviate overheating through sweating, but Kansas State University beef extension veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff said cattle do not have that option.

“Heat stress coping behaviors is what we see when cattle are adapting to warmer temperatures,” he said. “Whenever we get hot, we sweat to maintain homeostasis. For livestock species, and especially cattle, that capability gets overwhelmed.”

Tarpoff added: “They dissipate heat in other ways like increasing their respiratory rate (breathing) by panting.”

Besides panting, producers identify heat stress by their increased standing, large groups of animals bunching up close to water tanks and crowding in shaded areas.

“They're trying to get increased airflow by standing, but they actually end up using each other as shade which is counter-productive,” Tarpoff said.

High temperatures and humidity, slow wind speeds and increased solar radiation comprise the four weather conditions contributing to heat stress.

“When we're comfortable, cattle might not be and vice versa. We really need to consider those four key parameters,” Tarpoff said. “We have an animal comfort index that uses the four of them to get a feel on how cattle are experiencing their environment.” Monitor the animal comfort index in Kansas through the K-State Mesonet.

Correctly managing heat stress has proven to be essential for maximizing animal wellbeing and performance, according to Tarpoff.

“It is one of those critical chores just as important as feeding or making sure the animals have water. Whether we are asking them to be good cows or an animal to produce beef in a feedlot,

we need to put them in scenarios where they’re more comfortable because then they are more productive,” he said.

Tarpoff urges operations housing their cattle in dry lots to keep it simple when developing a plan to lessen the consequences of heat stress.

“Whenever it comes to heat stress, it's back to the basics: feed and water. Water intake can nearly double as temperatures rise from 70 to 90 degrees (Fahrenheit). We need more water access, flow and availability for those animals,” he said.

He added: “We might be able to modify our feeding times to alleviate some of these stressors. Whenever we feed cattle, we feed the rumen microbes, and that comes at a cost called the heat of fermentation. We can feed later in the evening, so the digestion happens during the cooler nighttime hours.” Producers often construct shades to cool off cattle in times of unrelenting heat. A recent study conducted by K-State researchers looking at effects of shade on heat stress revealed that shade structures can impact more than just animal temperature.

“They are a piece of infrastructure,” Tarpoff said. “That two-year trial showed added benefits of investing in shades. We saw increased feed efficiency, increased growth rate and increased average daily gain. We also saw reduced panting rates and water consumption needs by over a gallon per head per day.”

Additionally, bedding pens with straw can reduce the pen floor temperature by 25 degrees and fence-line sprinklers help lower ground temperatures and keep cattle cool if used in the overnight hours, according to Tarpoff.

K-State beef cattle experts explain several ways to manage cattle on grazing pastures in the summer

Most people would agree there is nothing better than eating produce picked fresh from the garden. Similarly, cattle opt to graze the newest grass in a pasture because it is the most appealing, Kansas State University beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster said.

Lancaster led the discussion on a recent Beef Cattle Institute Cattle Chat podcast about ways that cattle producers can optimize grazing pastures. He and the other experts offered thoughts on rotational grazing versus continuous grazing and variations of each of those systems.

“In a rotational grazing system, the cattle are moved frequently and may come back to that same grazing tract later in the season, while with continuous grazing the cattle are turned out into a large pasture and remain there for many days and once they leave they don’t return to that pasture until the next grazing season,” K-State veterinarian Brad White said.

For Lancaster, the advantage of a rotational grazing system is that plants are allowed to rest and recover when the cattle are moved to another tract.

“By allowing the plant to recover, it keeps it from getting stressed by continuous grazing and allows it to be more productive over the growing season,” Lancaster said. “In a continuous grazing system, the cattle will often re-graze the plant over and over again in a short amount of time because that new growth is the most palatable, and that stresses the plants.”

Producers who follow a rotational grazing system will move cattle frequently, which brings on added labor challenges, K-State veterinarian Bob Larson said.

“With a rotational system, there is more fencing and water resources needed and then you need people to move the cattle between the pastures frequently,” Larson said.

K-State agricultural economist Dustin Pendell agreed and added: “Producers considering a rotational grazing system need to factor in the infrastructure and labor costs, and weigh that up against the benefits of using this system.”

With the additional fencing, White added that the labor to check the fences also increases as not only cattle but other wildlife -- such as deer -- can easily break the electric wire strands.

Larson said that some producers can follow a variation of these two strategies.

“Some producers will put a higher than normal load of cattle on a pasture and then mid-summer move them to another pasture, and then later in the season they move them to a third pasture. The following year they move the cattle through the pastures in a different order to allow the grasses to rest and experience grazing pressure at different times in the season,” Larson said.

Lancaster offered another way to adjust the grazing distribution in a large, continuous grazing pasture.

“By moving water and mineral feeders to different locations in the pasture, cattle will naturally go to those places,” Lancaster said. “Some producers do patch burning in the pastures at different places from year to year to encourage the cattle to graze the areas of new growth.”

To hear the full discussion, listen to Cattle Chat on your preferred streaming platform.

Gardeners enter home stretch for onions, tomatoes

K-State horticulture expert shares tips for successfully growing two garden staples

If gardeners are crying about their onions right now, it’s not because they’re slicing them in their kitchen. But they may soon.

“This is the time of year that onions grow and develop rapidly,” said Kansas State University horticulture expert Cynthia Domenghini. “Regular watering – if the soil is dry – and light fertilization help maximize growth.”

In soils that tend to be alkaline, Domenghini suggests using ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) at the rate of ½ cup per 10 row-feet. The number series refers to the rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contained in the fertilizer.

“You can use lawn fertilizer (such as 29-5-5, 27-3-3, or similar) but only use 1/3 cup per 10 row-feet,” she said. “Make sure the lawn fertilizer does not have a weed preventer or weed killer included. Sprinkle the fertilizer 2-3 inches alongside the row and water in. Do not fertilize after the onions start to bulb.”

Domenghini said that as onions develop, as much as 2/3 of the bulb remains out of the soil. She said that is normal and there is no need to cover the bulb with soil.

Tomatoes

Another garden favorite – tomatoes – could benefit from mulching as long as soils are warm enough and not saturated with water, according to Domenghini.

“Tomatoes prefer even levels of soil moisture, and mulches provide that by preventing excessive evaporation,” she said.

Mulch also helps to suppress weeds, moderate soil temperatures, and prevent the formation of hard crust on the soil. Crusted soils restrict air movement and slow the water infiltration rate.

Domenghini said hay and straw mulches are “very popular for tomatoes, but may contain weed or volunteer grain seeds.” Grass clippings can be used as mulch, but should be applied in a thin layer – “only 2-3 inches thick,” Domenghini said.

“Do not use clippings from lawns that have been treated with weed killer until some time has passed,” she said. “With most types of weed killers, clippings from the fourth mowing after treatment may be used.”

Domenghini and her colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens.

K-State horticulture expert shares tips for fruit trees grown in Kansas

It might be tempting to try to bring in a heavy fruit crop this summer, but if homeowner’s trees are young, it’s not such a great idea.

Kansas State University horticulture expert Cynthia Domenghini said gardeners instead should be thinking about thinning fruit trees in favor of a bountiful crop in future years.

“Allowing young trees to produce a heavy crop can cause damage to the branches due to the weight and can reduce the size of the fruit this year,” Domenghini said.

She shared guidelines for determining which fruit to thin and which to leave intact:

• Apples and pears. Leave 6-8 inches between fruit. Apples tend to produce fruit in clusters of five. Remove all but one fruit from each cluster. Leave the largest, healthiest fruit.
• Peaches. Leave 6-8 inches between fruit. Peaches tend to cluster together. The average space should be about 7 inches apart.
• Plums and prunes. Space fruit 4-5 inches apart.
• Apricots. Space fruit 2-4 inches apart.

“Some fruit can be closer, but the recommended spacing will limit the amount of fruit on each branch, and the fruit should grow well,” Domenghini said.

She added that fruit can be removed by snipping it with clippers, or snapping the fruit stem with your fingers – being careful not to damage the branch.

Tip blackberries, black raspberries and purple raspberries

Domenghini said raspberries and blackberries have the same growing and fruiting habits. Their perennial root systems grow for several years; the canes are biennial – meaning that they live for two years.

“The first year’s canes are called primocanes and do not produce fruit,” she said. “In the second year, the primocanes become floricanes, which fruit and then die. Primocanes are produced each year, so plants have both types of canes present simultaneously.”

She adds that primocanes should be tipped by removing the top 2-3 inches, which promotes branching and fruiting.

~ Pesky Pests ~

K-State horticulture expert shares tips on what you can do to protect roses

Kansas State University horticultural expert Cynthia Domenghini says many gardeners in the state aren’t feeling too rosey about their roses these days.

“Several counties are reporting problems with their roses,” Domenghini said. “One of those problems is the rose rosette virus.”

The classic symptoms of the virus include:

• Rapid elongation of a new shoot.
• ‘Witches broom,’ or a clustering of small branches.
• Branches developing excessive thorns.
• Small, deformed, reddish-purple leaves.
• Certain varieties may develop streaks or blotches of reddish-purple on stems and petioles.
• Plant death.

Plants exhibiting these symptoms should be removed and destroyed, including the roots. Domenghini said garden tools that come in contact with the plant need to be sterilized to avoid spreading the virus.

Blackspot, a fungal disease, is also being reported in parts of Kansas. Domenghini said some of the common symptoms of blackspot include:

• Dark, circular lesions with feathery edges on the top surface; usually the lower leaves are infected first.
• Raised, purple spots on young canes.
• Yellowing between spots on infected leaves.
• Leaf drop.

“Prevention is the best approach for controlling blackspot,” said Domenghini, who adds that purchasing resistant cultivars of roses is one of the best prevention steps.

Also, “use drip irrigation to avoid splashing water on the leaves,” she said. “Ensure the roses are planted in the sun with good air movement, and don’t crowd plants together in a planting. Diseased leaves should be removed from the ground, and infected plant parts should be pruned out of the plant.”

Gardeners may also choose to apply a fungicide. Domenghini suggests choosing a fungicide that you can apply on a 10-14 day schedule.

She said some of the recommended fungicides include tebuconazole (Bayer Disease Control for Roses, Flowers and Shrubs); myclobutanil (Immunox, Immunox Plus); triticonazole (Ortho Rose and Flower Disease Control); and chlorothalonil (Broad Spectrum Fungicide, Garden Disease Control).

“As always, follow all label instructions carefully,” Domenghini said.

Domenghini and her colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens.

K-State horticulture expert gives methods for effective protection

Rabbits are a common invader of home gardens, especially when plants flower in spring. Kansas State University horticulture expert Cynthia Domenghini said there are many common-sense ways to keep the hungry critters out.

“This time of year, rabbits gravitate to young vegetables and flowers,” Domenghini said. “But there are some vegetables that are rarely bothered, including potatoes, tomatoes, corn, squash, cucumbers and some peppers.”

Cynthia Domenghini said some methods for keeping rabbits away include:

Fencing

Fencing is often the quickest and easiest method of control. Domenghini recommended the fence be at least two feet tall with a fine mesh of one inch or less. Fencing support can be provided by a variety of products, including electric fence posts. However, fencing may not be a viable choice based on the desired appearance of the garden.

Floating Row Cover

Floating row cover is a light woven material that can be placed over plants yet still allows light, water and air to come through.

“Though most often used to promote early growth by keeping plants warmer than normal, it can also help protect young plants from insects and wildlife,” Domenghini said.

Repellants

Although commonly suggested for rabbit control, repellants must be re-applied frequently. Some can also be poisonous and cannot be used on plants intended for human consumption, Domenghini warned.

Trapping

Domenghini said live traps are usually recommended when the rabbit can be moved to a rural area several miles away from where they were initially caught.

“A number of baits can be used to entice the rabbit to enter the trap, including a tightly rolled cabbage leaf held together by a toothpick. However, rabbits often avoid baits if other attractive food is available.”

Sprinkler

A motion-activated sprinkler can be attached to a garden hose, releasing a short burst of water upon motion. Domenghini suggests picking a product that advertises it can protect at least 1000 square feet: “Such products are available from Contech, Orbit and Havahart,” she said.

Domenghini and her colleagues in K-State's Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.

~ Upcoming Programs ~

June & July

June 1: Miami Co. Fair Online FairEntry System Open

June 2: Keep Me Safe Event - Mound City Library

June 3: Keep Me Safe Event - Pleasenton, Ks

June 5: ATV Safety Training @ Discovery Day, Manhattan, KS

June 15: Kansas State Fair & Kansas Junior Livestock Show Livestock Nominations due

June 19: Extension Offices Closed - Juneteenth

June 20: Work Day at Miami County Fairgrounds - Building new Open Class Display Risers

July 1: Miami Co. Fair Online FairEntry System Closes

July 4: Extension Offices Closed - 4th of July

July 13: Miami County Horse Clinic for MiCo 4-Hers

July 17: Miami County Fair Superintendent Meeting

July 19 - 26: 2025 Miami County Fair

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