Kansas Dairy has named Janet Bailey of Manhattan, Kan., CEO of the Kansas Dairy Commission and Kansas Dairy Association.

Bailey brings three decades of association and agriculture industry experience to the dairy organizations, and was raised on a Kansas dairy farm. Her career has been anchored in agricultural and food policy, rural issues and marketplace strategy. 

“Dairy is in a pivotal time. Consumers face more options, new technologies create new opportunities, the regulatory pressures are consistent and labor needs continue to challenge the industry,” Bailey says. “More than ever, dairy producers need to know that they have organizations leaning into the challenges and bringing them value and solutions. I am honored to work with the leadership of the association and commission and our partners as we deliver value to our dairy producers and allied industry partners in Kansas.”

Learn more at ksdairy.com.

Nominate teacher of the year

The Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom has opened up its call for nominations for the 2023 Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year Award.

Each year, KFAC recognizes one Kansas teacher who is committed to connecting their classroom to Kansas agriculture. Any certified K-12 teacher who teaches in a Kansas classroom and integrates agricultural concepts into nonagricultural curricula is eligible for this award.

The winner of the KFAC Teacher of the Year Award will receive an all-expense paid trip to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference held in June.

Nomination forms and more can be found at ksagclassroom.org/teacher/year.

KSU Stocker Field Day set

The economic outlook for beef cattle, ongoing issues surrounding the transportation and cattle industry, and improving efficiency through feeding strategies and cattle comfort are among topics planned for the 2022 Kansas State University Beef Stocker Field Day on Sept. 29. The conference will be hosted at the K-State Beef Stocker Unit, west of Manhattan off Marlatt Avenue. 

The day will start with a welcome at 9:30 a.m. and conclude around 5 p.m. Sponsoring this year’s event is Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. 

Registration is $25 and due Sept. 15. Walk-in registration is available for $35. To see an agenda and to register, visit asi.ksu.edu/stockerfieldday. More information also is available by contacting Lois Schreiner at 785-532-1267 or [email protected].

Growing a grassroots network

Lieutenant Gov. and Commerce Secretary David Toland announced the Rural by Choice Champions Program (Rural Champions). This one-year pilot program will create a network of grassroots individuals who will tackle critical community projects and identified needs integral for rural prosperity. Rural Champions, which was made possible through a collaboration with the Patterson Family Foundation, will help drive success where there is a lack of capital or other resources to complete the project.

In order to apply, communities describe current activities, challenges that are stifling progress and how a Rural Champion would benefit advancement. Twelve communities will be selected for the pilot program and will receive a stipend for wages for the Rural Champion. Projects could include anything the community designates as critically needed, including, but not limited to:

Eligible applicants must be located in counties with a population under 40,000. The Office of Rural Prosperity will assist with the development of a rural community playbook to share with other communities for future projects.

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Sept. 16. For more information, visit kansascommerce.gov/orp/ruralchampions . Rural Champions will be announced in late September and will have one year to complete their projects.