Commentary-Organic foods may not have higher nutritional value after all

Written by John Schlageck / Kansas Farm Bureau Wednesday, 05 December 2007 14:53

Do organically produced foods have higher nutritional value?

Let’s take a look.

Colorado State University researchers compared vitamin content of organically and conventionally grown vegetables—carrots and broccoli. They found no statistically significant differences.

Other research from CSU focused on growing potatoes using four different farming techniques under the same growing conditions: an intensive high-chemical system; a moderate conventional system; customary organic farming (hog manure and crop rotation on land used for organic production for 10 years); and virgin organic production, using cow manure on land cleared from brush. Nine minerals and seven vitamins were analyzed and no clear differences were...

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Wichita couple brings Peabody bowling alley back to life

Written by Malinda Just Tuesday, 27 November 2007 18:26

PeabodyLanesP1020203.jpg Click to buy photo Curtis and Christie McBride pose at the counter of their newly acquired Peabody Lanes bowling alley. The Wichita couple celebrated their grand opening Sept. 30. “We’ve been business owners before, and we enjoyed it. And we enjoy bowling. We’re not very good, but we have fun.” Malinda Just / Free Press

For 14 months, not a sound could be heard coming from Peabody Lanes, as the bowling alley sat closed and empty.

In September, though, the bowling alley was sold, and new owners Curtis and Christie McBride of Wichita celebrated the grand opening Sept. 30.

Since reopening the doors, the din of laughter, music and the crash of bowling ball against pin has been emanating regularly from the...

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COMMENTARY- 'Death Tax' is killing the future of American family farm

Written by John Schlagek / Kansas Farm Bureau Tuesday, 27 November 2007 18:22

Across this country, more than 2 million farms dot the rural landscape. Individuals, family partnerships or family corporations own 99 percent of the farms. These same family farms produce about 94 percent of U.S. agricultural products sold today.

Death (estate) taxes destroy family-owned farms and ranches when the tax—which can be as high as 47 percent— forces farmers and ranchers to sell land, buildings or equipment needed to operate their businesses.

The average estate-tax payment from 1999 to 2000 was the equivalent to 11⁄2 to two years of net farm income.

Farmers and ranchers in Kansas have long battled any form of death tax. Those same agricultural producers, many who belong to Farm Bureau, support the permanent...

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Volunteer wheat can affect crop insurance plans

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 27 November 2007 18:20

WheatReplantedPB234729.jpg Click to buy photo Fields like this one south of Hillsboro were replanted with wheat in in patchwork-like areas. Wheat producers may have some questions about how this volunteer wheat will affect their crop insurance. Don Ratzlaff / Free Press

Because of the weather in Kansas last spring, an abnormal amount ofvolunteer wheat can be found in Kansas wheat fields this fall.

Thisvolunteer wheat harbors disease, insects and weeds. These may includewheat streak mosaic virus, wheat curl mites, Hessian fly and a numberof other problems.

Wheat producers may have some questions about how this volunteer wheat will affect their crop insurance.

Thefollowing responses are from Rebecca Davis of the Topeka regionaloffice of...

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