Tuesday, January 27, 2026
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Gardening boosts your immune system

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Guest Columnist
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Photo courtesy of Getty Images & Family Features

We tend to think about our immune system more during the cooler months, as they coincide with cold and flu season. Research shows that gardening can naturally boost the immune system, making it a great way to stay healthy year-round.

Three ways gardening helps our bodies fight off illness and infection are:

1. Increased movement

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get 2.5 hours of moderately intense movement per week, and time in the garden can count toward that goal. Gardening combines strength training, aerobic exercise and stretching, all of which are fantastic for keeping our bodies strong and improving overall wellness.

2. Microorganisms in the soil

Healthy soil promotes healthy plants and people! Soil contains beneficial microorganisms, also called microbes. Regularly working with soil can introduce a variety of beneficial microbes to our bodies, which helps strengthen our immune system and ward off illness. This is true whether you are working outdoors or have moved your gardening indoors due to winter weather. These health benefits can extend to your loved ones as well. Studies show that children who learn and practice the skill of gardening have stronger immune systems and are less likely to develop asthma and allergies.

3. Better diet

Growing our own fruits and vegetables often leads us to eat more of these healthy foods packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. You get to control how your produce is grown and can eat it at its peak ripeness, when it contains the most nutrients. Key nutrients to boost immunity include:

  • Vitamin C. Sources include bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, garlic, citrus fruits.
  • Vitamin D. In addition to getting adequate exposure to sunlight, sources include mushrooms, eggs, fatty fish, fortified dairy.
  • Vitamin A. Sources include sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, spinach.
  • Zinc. Sources include beef, oysters, yogurt.

Whether you garden for health or for fun, it is good to know that gardening can benefit your life in many ways. If you want a simple and tasty way to incorporate these ideas, give this smoothie recipe a try!

Immune-boosting smoothie

  • ½ cup chopped leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, etc.
  • ¼ cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen mango chunks
  • 1 large ripe banana
  • 1 cup orange or apple juice or coconut water
  • Optional: flax seed, chia seeds, ginger, ground turmeric and/or avocado.

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Serves 2.

 

USDA Announces 2025 Enrollment Periods for Crop and Dairy Safety-Net Programs

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Guest Columnist
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Producers Can Enroll in the 2025 Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs.

Beginning Jan. 21 and Dairy Margin Coverage Beginning Jan.29 WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the 2025
enrollment periods for key safety-net programs – Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) as well as Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC). Agricultural producers can submit applications to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for ARC and PLC for the 2025 crop year from Jan. 21 to April 15 and for DMC for the 2025 coverage year from Jan. 29 to March 31.

ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms. Meanwhile, DMC provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences.

“Our safety-net programs provide critical financial protections against commodity market volatilities for many American farmers, so don’t delay enrollment,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “If you’re getting coverage through the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs, avoid the rush and contact your local FSA office for an appointment. Even if you are not changing your program election for 2025, you
still need to sign a contract to enroll.”

“And at $0.15 per hundredweight for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a relatively inexpensive investment in a true sense of security and peace of mind.”

The American Relief Act, 2025 extended many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year, including ARC and PLC as well as DMC.

ARC and PLC

Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual (ARC-IC), which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2025 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue for 2025 unless an election change is made.

If producers do not submit their election revision by the April 15 deadline, their election remains the same as their 2024 election for commodities on the farm from the prior year. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the cropland.

Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.

USDA also reminds producers that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products including Supplemental Coverage Option, Enhanced Coverage Option and, for cotton producers, the Stacked Income Protection Plan (commonly referred to as STAX).

For more information on ARC and PLC, producers can visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact their local USDA Service Center.

DMC

DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.

DMC offers different levels of coverage, even an option that is free to producers, minus a $100 administrative fee. The administrative fee is waived for dairy producers who are considered limited resource, beginning, socially disadvantaged or a military veteran.

DMC payments are calculated using updated feed and premium hay costs, making the program more reflective of actual dairy producer expenses. These updated feed calculations use 100% premium alfalfa hay.

For more information on DMC, visit the DMC webpage.

More Information

Producers can apply for ARC, PLC and DMC through the FSA at their local USDA Service Center.

FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected
county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

What am I buying? A guide to meat labels

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Guest Columnist
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K-State assistant professor discusses protein labeling.

“Gluten-free water” – she’s not sure what that means, but it was an actual claim that Kanas State University assistant professor of sustainable meat science Erin Beyer saw on a water bottle in Australia back in 2015.

While Beyer is not quite sure how a label this “interesting” was approved, she does know that many other claims printed on protein products can be difficult for consumers to navigate. To help clear up confusion, Beyer recently joined the Agriculture Today radio program to discuss the definitions of heavily used terms like “natural” and “certified organic,” and provide context for consumers.

“There is more label information today than I think there ever has been,” she said. “The most basic labeling system for commodity products, though, is the Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards.”

Commodity markers – usually accompanied by a barcode and scale label – allow buyers to identify a cut of meat’s species, the wholesale area which it originated and whether it’s a steak or a roast. The meat industry classifies cuts thicker than 2 inches as roasts.

“The traditional label that comes on all commodity meat products helps people purchase products for their intended uses,” Beyer said. “So, it’s a system used that helps most buyers know they should not grill their roasts and should have a low, slow-type cooking method instead.”

Outside of commodity labeling, the branded meat sector has become more popular over the past couple decades and now encompasses more than 75% of the market, according to Beyer. Certified Angus Beef stands amongst the most popular brands, and its merchandise must pass through 10 parameters to qualify for CAB status.

“Like with any branded program, you can look those specifications up online and learn more about them,” she said. “A branded meat program usually is associated with premium meat or something in which purchasers have more trust that is higher quality than commodity.”

She added: “Is that always true? Maybe not so much. However, they do separate themselves with their brand specifications.”

However, consumers may find it challenging to discern natural products from “naturally raised” meat. Beyer said the key to understanding the differences lies in the phase of meat production they accompany.

“Natural meat is minimally processed post-harvest, has no artificial preservatives and contains all-natural ingredients like water and salt,” she said. “Naturally raised is about the animal process, meaning it has never experienced antibiotics, growth promotants or additional hormones.”

Beyer notes that most meat sold in stores falls under natural classification, however, not all processors take the time to get their goods approved for the label.

On the same note, the USDA prohibits giving certain livestock species – like poultry and swine – additional hormones, which may puzzle shoppers who see the designation “raised without added hormones” on beef and lamb products.

“There are hormones in all animal products,” Beyer said. “We produce hormones as living beings just like animals produce hormones, so nothing is ever hormone-free, yet processors can tag meat as raised without added hormones if they did not receive hormone implants.”

Moreover, a certified organic marker takes the requirements for claims like ‘raised without added hormones’ and ‘natural’ a step further by including that producers must raise meat animals using organic methods while feeding organic ingredients.

“Organic methods are a little vague, but those parameters actually start at the last trimester of gestation for our red meat species and the first day of life for poultry,” Beyer said.

Beyer reminds protein purchasers, however, that certified organic and other claims do not mean that these goods differ in nutritional content nor change in food safety versus products without those labels.

More information about food product labeling is available online through the USDA.

 

State Conservation Commission Meeting on January 27

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Guest Columnist
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Kansas Dept of Agriculture

The State Conservation Commission will hold its regular meeting on Monday, January 27, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association at 816 SW Tyler St. in Topeka. A virtual option will also be available.

The SCC consists of five elected commissioners; two appointed members representing the Kansas State University Agriculture Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service; and two appointed members representing the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The KDA Division of Conservation consults with the SCC to protect and enhance Kansas’ natural resources through the development, implementation and maintenance of policies, guidelines and programs designed to assist local governments and individuals in conserving the state’s renewable resources.

The meeting is a regularly scheduled board meeting and is open to the public. For more information about the meeting, to access the virtual link, or to request a copy of the agenda, please contact the KDA–DOC at [email protected] or by phone at 785-564-6620.

Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

###

WHO:            State Conservation Commission
WHAT:          Regular meeting
WHEN:          1:00–4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025
WHERE:       Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, 816 SW Tyler St., Topeka

An Accidental Greenie

By
Lee Pitts
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0
lee pitts

When people come to my house for the first time they ask for my address so they can program it into their GPS. I don’t mess with all that stuff so I tell them, “Turn on such and such road and keep going until you come to the house with a herd of cows in the front yard.”

“You have cows in your front yard!” they always ask.

“Sure. I admit they aren’t real cows; instead of muscle and bone my cows are made from rebar and cement, red clay pottery and plastic. I even have a tall, mean lookin’ cowboy with a handlebar mustache to watch over them, although he hasn’t made any sudden moves in the 40 years we’ve lived here.”

I have one concrete cow that must weigh at least a couple hundred pounds that is so valuable that I chained her to a subterranean mass of concrete and steel. I did so because one Halloween night some hooligans were attempting to pilfer my best cow in the dark of night. Little did they know that my bedroom is not 20 yards from my prized concrete cow so I heard the strains and grunts of three would-be rustlers busting a gut as they tried to corral her. So I grabbed my menacing looking BB gun and went out on my porch where they couldn’t see me and told them in no uncertain terms, “No city dudes are gonna rustle my cow and if you don’t vamoose I’ll give every one of you a load of buckshot in your backside.” I also mentioned in my best John Wayne impression that, “The remedy for cattle rustling in these parts is hanging.”

I guess they took me seriously because they all turned tail and dove into the back of an already escaping pickup as they tried to steal away. Although I got their license plate number I didn’t call the cops because around here we tend to settle our own disputes. The word must have spread because in the ten years since then we haven’t had any further run-ins with poachers, rustlers or grifters.

Well, that last sentence isn’t entirely true because one low-life carefully wound his way through my herd and knocked on my front door. “What do you want?” I asked once again using my best John Wayne voice.

He mustered up his courage and asked me, “I was wondering if you’ve noticed lately that your electric bills are higher?”

“Listen pilgrim, around these parts you don’t go asking about another man’s business.”

“The reason I was asking is because the state of California is offering to give you free solar panels.”

“Is that right? You don’t see any of those gal-darn things on my roof do ya? If I wanted them don’t you think I’d already have them? And I don’t need the state paying for them either. What kind of racket are they runnin’ anyway? That’s what’s wrong with this state, they’re giving everything away. I tell ya, all those politicians in the state capitol belong in the hoosegow.”

That didn’t stop him from launching into a memorized spiel claiming that it was folks like me causing global warming and that my lifestyle was somehow causing natural disasters somewhere in Africa. Then he said we simply had to ban the internal combustion engine by 2035 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or, “WE WERE ALL GONNA DIE.”

“Listen buddy-boy, I’m what you might call an accidental greenie. Me and Mrs. Pitts never had any bambinos scampering around the place so when we die that will be the end of the Pitts strain to which I belong. And if you and all your fellow generation XYZ’ers would follow our example that would end the climate change crises right there. That is what you wanted, right?”

Then I turned purple and said in what might be construed as a semi-violent manner, “So if I want to drive a car that you don’t plug in, live in a house without any Chinese made panels on my roof, eat beef from farting cattle and ride herd over my concrete cows that’s my business. Got it mister?”

That old boy was last seen running away with my herd of concrete cows in pursuit. I guess the climate around here didn’t agree with him.

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