Daniel Mushrush (bottom center) took the group on a pasture tour during their visit to Mushrush Ranches.
About 20 USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) staff members participated in a two-day tour, organized by KLA, of livestock and agricultural businesses in the eastern part of the state. The group interacted with individuals from each segment of the beef industry, as well as the dairy and ethanol industries.
Tour stop hosts included Tailgate Ranch in Tonganoxie, Mushrush Ranches near Strong City, Tiffany Cattle Company in Herington and Hildebrand Dairy near Junction City. The group also visited the Walmart case-ready beef plant in Olathe and East Kansas Agri-Energy in Garnett, and heard from KLA members Spencer Jones of Belvue and Tom Jones from Garden City during a lunch stop near Council Grove.
Many USDA ERS staff now are based in the Kansas City area, making the tour a valuable experience for those new to the region. ERS is responsible for providing outlook reports and industry analysis, as well as publishing special research reports related to crop and livestock production.