Kansas Wheat Innovation Center marks 10th anniversary

Kansas wheat farmers and public and private research partners gathered in December to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Kansas Wheat Innovation center in Manhattan, Kan.

The open house and holiday party also commemorated the successful conclusion of the Fields Forward campaign to support the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation, and it debuted a new virtual tour of the facility.

According to Kansas Wheat, the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center was built by the Kansas Wheat Commission, funded by the Kansas wheat checkoff, to get improved wheat varieties into the hands of farmers faster at a time when private research in wheat was limited. The center was built on land owned by Kansas State University; the Kansas Wheat Commission has a 50-year lease on the property. Construction on the $15 million KWIC began in October 2011, and was completed in November 2012. An additional four greenhouse bays were completed in spring 2018. Today, the facility boasts more than 10,000 square feet of office space, 15,000 square feet of laboratory space and 23,000 square feet of greenhouse space.

Beef. It’s what’s for tailgating.

The Kansas Beef Council recently announced the winner of its first “Tailgater of the Game” competition with Kansas State University athletics. Tailgaters featuring beef dishes at each home football game were eligible to be named the weekly winner, with an overall winner selected at the end of the season.

Rick Bloom, Wichita, Kan., was named the overall champion, with Spit-Roasted Beef Tenderloin for his tailgate party. The 1991 K-State engineering graduate has attended nearly every game in 30 years, and can be found serving food and beverages to loyal K-State fans and K-State students at his RV22 parking spot.

“We started the tradition of cooking the beef tenderloins on the large spit five years ago,” Bloom says. “We typically like to do it for the Texas game, but the game time didn’t work out this year. Everyone asks us ‘Which game are you doing the tenderloins?’ and it has become one of the favorite tailgate meals. The meal feeds a lot of people, and the beef is always so good!”

To learn more about the weekly winners and to see their recipes, visit 2022 K-State tailgating beef recipes.

Swine Profitability Conference Feb. 7

Kansas State University’s 2023 Swine Profitability Conference is planned for Feb. 7 at the Stanley Stout Center in Manhattan, Kan.

The conference will feature speakers from an array of swine-related businesses and organizations, including:

Preregistration is $25 per participant and due by Jan. 27. Attendees can register at the door for $50 per participant. More information, including online registration, is available at ksuswine.org.

KFB Casten Fellows announced

Six Farm Bureau members of Kansas have been selected for the second cohort of the organization’s Casten Fellows program to enhance leadership and expand perspectives of participants.

The second cohort of the Kansas Farm Bureau Casten Fellows are (front row) Shanda Mattix (left), Thomas County; Ashley Hornberger, Douglas County; and Hope Hernandez, Finney County. In the back row are Kyler Langvardt, Geary County; Levi Clubine, Montgomery County; and Mike Beying, Osage County.

“This program was developed to honor Kansas Farm Bureau staffer Jill Casten-Downing and continue her love for agriculture, leadership development and international travel,” says Edie Doane, Kansas Farm Bureau director of training and development. “The participants selected have demonstrated a commitment to intentional lifelong growth and active engagement in Kansas Farm Bureau.”

Fellows have significant prior leadership experience and are selected through an extensive application and interview process. These members will commit to more than 100 hours of individual and group work for the program, in addition to an international study experience in Uganda and Tanzania.

The following are members of the second cohort of Casten Fellows:

For more information about the Casten Fellows, visit kfb.org/Casten Fellows.