Press Releases

Press Releases

USDA Provides Farm Loans

Manhattan, KS, Novmeber 13, 2009 – Adrian J. Polansky, state executive director for USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Kansas recently announced that FSA provided $147,683,765 in direct and guaranteed loans to 1,288 family farmers in Kansas during Fiscal Year 2009. (more)

USDA Declares Disaster Area

Washington, Nov. 9, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated Cheyenne, Rice and Sherman counties in Kansas as primary natural disaster areas because of losses caused by high winds and hail that occurred from July 17, through September 3, 2009. (more)

Not Too Late for Testing of Saved Seed

Manhattan, KS, September 15, 2009 – Many farmers are gearing up for the planting season by readying their drills and preparing their fields. Most have probably decided what variety of wheat they are going to plant, and might be planning on using saved seed. (more)

Global Community Mourns Loss of Nobel Peace Laureate Norman E Borlaug

College Station, TX, September 12, 2009 – Norman E. Borlaug, who received the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for developing high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat used to prevent famine in developing countries throughout the world, died shortly before 11 p.m. from complications of cancer in Dallas. (more)

USDA Implements Farm Storage Facility Loan Program

Manhattan, Kansas, August 20, 2009 – Adrian J. Polansky, state executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), today announced that changes to the Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program have been implemented in accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill. FSA administers FSFL on behalf of the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). (more)

Let FSA Be Your Lender

Manhattan, KS, August 20, 2009 --- "New federal programs have been enacted to stimulate beginning and younger farmers to establish new, or retain ownership of existing, small family farms," announced Adrian J. Polansky, State Executive Director of USDA's Farm Service Agency in Kansas. These exciting new trends in rural America present the FSA Farm Loan Programs with opportunities for increased lending activity in the farm community. (more)

Seed Regulations for Custom Planters

Manhattan, Kansas, August 19, 2009 – Custom planting is on the increase in Kansas, as farmers seek to reduce capital investment in little used equipment or to move into cropping systems such as no-till. Custom planters may also be used to relieve a labor shortage on the farm. Regardless of the reason, farmers and custom planters need to be aware of their responsibilities when planting and growing certified seed. (more)

Monsanto Acquires WestBred

ST. LOUIS, July 14, 2009 – Monsanto Company announced today it is expanding its strong seeds and traits portfolio to include wheat. The company has acquired the assets of WestBred, LLC, a Montana-based company that specializes in wheat germplasm, the crop’s seed genetic material. (more)

South Dakota State University Enforces PVP

Brookings, S.D., July 13, 2009 -- The South Dakota Board of Regents, as the governing body for South Dakota State University and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, has instituted five lawsuits in federal court to enforce laws governing wheat varieties using the Plant Variety Protection Act. (more)

Loans on Farm Stored Grain

Manhattan, Kan, July 6, 2009 -- USDA’s Farm Service Agency would like to remind producers that maintaining the condition of farm stored grain is a requirement if producers wish to obtain a commodity loan. (more)

FSA Emergency Loans

Manhattan, Kan, July 6, 2009 -- Jack Salava, Acting State Executive Director for USDA's Kansas Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that FSA is making emergency loans available to help qualified producers recover from production and physical losses due to natural disasters. (more)

All Aboard Wheat Harvest, by High Plains Journal/Midwest Ag

The All Aboard the 2009 Wheat Harvest is a new column by High Plains Journal that features daily updates from correspondents reporting and participating in the 2009 wheat harvest. Daily web reports, pictures, and videos by the correspondents will be available on the website. A weekly column will also be published in the print version of High Plains Journal. To visit the website, click on the logo above.

Requirements of the Plant Variety Protection Act and the Uniform Grain and Rice Storage Agreement/Federal and State Warehouse Licensing Authorities Upon The Grain Warehouse Industry

Release by the Oklahoma Grain & Feed Assn, Oklahoma Ag Retailers Assn, and Oklahoma Seed Trade Assn in regards to the Plant Variety Protection Act and liability in regards to selling PVP protected seed. (more)

Regional Exercise to Improve States' Preparedness for Disaster and Terrorism Response

Topeka, Kan, June 10, 2009 -- The states of Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska (FEMA Region VII) are participating in an exercise this month involving disasters and terrorist attacks in the Midwest including the introduction of a foreign animal disease in Kansas and Iowa as well as various emergency response situations in both states.(more)

2008 Farm Bill Assistance Program ELAP

Manhattan, Kan, April 28, 2009- Jack Salava, State Executive Director for USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Kansas, reminded farmers and ranchers that the 2008 Farm Bill created five new disaster programs, one of which is the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). (more)

Ag Department Makes Biofuel Blend Guidelines Permanent

Topeka, Kan, January 28, 2009 -- Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky announced today that he is making permanent the guidelines his department developed for a pilot project to allow at-the-pump blending of biofuels, including blending ethanol with gasoline in percentages ranging from 10 percent to 85 percent. (more)

Kansas Wheat Alliance Enforces PVP Rights

Manhattan, Kan, November 24, 2008 -- Officials at the Kansas Wheat Alliance (KWA) announced today that they have settled not less than three PVP infringement cases this planting season. In the first of the three different matters, Clayton Fisher, Okeene, Oklahoma, admitted to selling the federally protected wheat variety, Fuller, as non-certified seed without the authorization of KWA. The $50,000 consent agreement signed by Fisher is the first of its kind for a variety developed by Kansas State University, although it does not appear this will be their last. (more)

All press releases are in PDF form. If you do not have a PDF reader, you may download Adobe Reader for free at