KDA is now accepting grant applications for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program. Nearly $6.46 million was awarded to the agency through a cooperative agreement with the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service for this program.

The RFSI program aims to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain by awarding competitive grants for projects to expand capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling or distribution of targeted local and regional agricultural products. This program is intended to support food system crops and products meant for human consumption — excluding meat and poultry products, which are funded through other USDA programs.

Applications will be evaluated through a competitive review process and are due to KDA no later than 5 p.m. Jan. 31. For more information, download the Request for Applications from the KDA website, agriculture.ks.gov/RFSI.

K-State combines corn, soybean winter crop schools

K-State Research and Extension has collaborated with Kansas Corn and Kansas Soybean to combine its corn and soybean winter crop schools into a one-day program covering both crops in several Kansas towns.

The schools are set for:

Contact a local Extension office for details, or email Ignacio Ciampitti at [email protected], for registration details.

Cover Your Acres Jan. 16-17

The 21st annual Cover Your Acres Winter Conference will be Jan. 16-17 at the Gateway Civic Center, Oberlin, Kan. The producer meeting will share crop production information tailored to the northwest Kansas and central High Plains region, according to K-State Research and Extension hosts.

Online registration is open, and is $55 for Jan. 16, $60 for Jan. 17, or $80 for both days. After Jan. 10, the registration will be $80 per day. Learn more at northwest.ksu.edu/coveryouracres. Or call 785-462-6281.

January calving schools

Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry and K-State Research and Extension are planning a series of calving schools in January. The program will cover calving management, including the stages of normal calving and tips to handle difficult calving situations.

Each session will be held in the evening and will include:

Find more information about the calving schools as well as local fliers at ksubeef.org.