Remington ranch to host KLA/K-State field day

TOPEKA, Kan. — Tyler and Kassie Remington will host the August 13 Kansas Livestock Association (KLA)/Kansas State University Ranch Management Field Day at their ranch near Quinter. The Remingtons own and operate a diversified farming and cow-calf enterprise. They grow wheat, corn and forage for their cowherd on irrigated and dryland acreage. Cover crops and annual forages are used for grazing and harvested for silage.

Utilizing cover crops and annual forages to boost grazing opportunities will highlight the field day program. K-State Agronomist John Holman and a panel of western Kansas producers, including Tyler Remington, Larry Manhart of Quinter and Charlie Kraus from Hays, will share their experiences with incorporating these forages into their grazing programs. Holman has conducted 10 years of research on the viability and advisability of planting annual cover crops or forages in conjunction with conventional dryland cropping systems in western Kansas. He will discuss his findings during the presentation.

Also on the field day program will be Jami Seirer, northwest district forester with the Kansas Forest Service in Hays. Seirer will explain the process of renovating old and/or environmentally stressed windbreaks, planning and establishing new windbreaks and plant selection. She also will provide tips on managing wind and snow distribution. Options for financial assistance through federal and state cost-share programs will be discussed, including the Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which the Remingtons utilized to establish and renovate several windbreaks at their ranch headquarters.

Agra View’s Amy Roeder and Steve Vollrath will share timely information about programs provided to livestock producers through the USDA Risk Management Agency. Insurance plans to be discussed will include the Livestock Risk Protection Program, Livestock Gross Margin Program and Rainfall Index Program, which protects against the loss of precipitation in key months of pasture, rangeland and forage growth.

KLA Chief Executive Officer Matt Teagarden will provide an overview of the new cattle traceability pilot project. KLA, K-State and the Kansas Department of Agriculture launched CattleTrace June 30. The project will involve an end-to-end disease traceability system beginning with cow-calf producers and ending at the beef processing plant. The goal is to develop a system that can operate at the speed of commerce.

The August 13 field day will begin with registration at 3:00 p.m. and conclude with a free beef dinner at 6:45 p.m. All livestock producers and others involved in the business are invited to attend.

Remington Ranch is located near Quinter in northeastern Gove County. From Interstate 70, take exit 107 toward Quinter and briefly travel south on Castle Rock Road. Westbound travelers will go under the interstate after exiting I-70. Immediately north of the Conoco station, turn west onto County Road Z. Go west on County Road Z two miles to ranch headquarters. Directional signs will be posted.

Russell and C.J. Blew will host the August 6 KLA/K-State ranch field day near Medicine Lodge. Loma Land & Cattle of La Cygne will be the site for the final field day August 16. Bayer Animal Health and the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas are sponsoring all three field days. For more information, go to www.kla.org or call the KLA office at (785) 273-5115.

KLA is a trade organization representing the business interests of independent livestock producers at the state and national levels. Members of the association are involved in all segments of the industry, including cow-calf production, backgrounding, cattle feeding, swine, dairy and sheep.

— Kansas Livestock Association

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