Cargill’s donation of $1 million to the Kansas State University Agriculture Innovation Initiative brings the university one step closer to meeting its $210 million goal.
The gift was announced on the field during the annual Celebrate Ag football game between K-State and the University of Central Florida on Sept. 27. With this recent gift, Cargill has surpassed $10 million in lifetime giving to K-State.
Led by the College of Agriculture, the Agriculture Innovation Initiative is an investment to leverage K-State’s core strengths in new ways for food and agriculture, according to the KSU Foundation. Four new or renovated facilities — the Global Center for Grain and Food Innovation, the Agronomy Research and Innovation Center, the Bilbrey Family Event Center, and Call and Weber halls — will build teams and partnerships to enhance the learning experience and generate groundbreaking discoveries.
The initiative was just launched in 2022 to leverage available public funds with private giving to modernize the university’s agricultural infrastructure. The push to collaborative interdisciplinary exploration and industry partnerships will be transformative for the university, Kansas and the world, according to K-State President Richard Linton.
U.S. dairy processors boost processing capacity
Consumers are turning to dairy foods and beverages to the tune of a record 661 pounds consumed per person in 2023, led by demand for high protein. This has led to America’s dairy processors investing more than $11 billion in new and expanded manufacturing capacity across 19 states, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.
U.S. milk production is expected to grow 15 billion pounds by the end of the decade due to growing dairy consumption and export demand. Dairy processors have undertaken more than 50 individual building projects between 2025 and early 2028.
“The U.S. dairy industry is a vital part of the nation’s manufacturing economy, contributing $779.45 billion in overall economic impact, more than 3.05 million jobs that generate $197.6 billion in wages, and more than $83 billion in taxes to state and local economies,” says Michael Dykes, president and CEO of IDFA. “Our industry’s $11 billion investment in new processing capacity in the United States reflects the confidence dairy companies have in the future of American agriculture and their commitment to meeting growing domestic and global demand for nutritious dairy foods.”
Dairy cows are doing their part, with U.S. milk production expected to grow by 15 billion pounds by 2030 to meet demand — or enough to fill more than 1.7 billion 1-gallon jugs. U.S. dairy exports are growing to countries in South and Central America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
National Sorghum Producers announces new board members
National Sorghum Producers announced that Jim Sipes, Manter, Kan., joined its board of directors Oct. 1. He will be joined by David Drinnon, Vega, Texas, and John Browning, Plainview, Texas. Kansas farmer Doug Keesling, Lyons, Kan., and Oklahoma farmer Kent Martin, Alva, Okla., have finished their terms, and Larry Richardson, Vega, Texas, will continue to serve on the board in an ex-officio capacity.
“We are honored to welcome Jim, David and John to the NSP board,” said NSP Chair Amy France, Scott City, Kan. “Their experience and passion for agriculture will help guide our industry through the challenges and opportunities ahead. At the same time, we are grateful to Kent and Doug for their years of service and leadership, and we look forward to continuing to benefit from Larry’s counsel in his ex-officio role.”
Other Kansas representation on the NSP board includes Vice Chairman Garrett Love, Montezuma; past Chairman Craig Meeker, Wellington; Tom Willis, Liberal; Don Hineman, Dighton; and Kent Winter, Mount Hope.
Source - https://www.farmprogress.com
