Kansas Corn Grower Featured in RFDTV’s Cattleman to Cattleman

Blog post by Emily Keiser, communications specialist

Cattle and corn have always had an intricate relationship when it comes to growing the food we put on our table. The RFDTV Cattlemen to Cattlemen series is a television show for cattlemen created by cattlemen, hosted by Colorado cattle producer, Kevin Ochsner.

Kansas corn grower, Kylee Geffert traveled to Palmer, Nebraska to participate in an episode consisting of two panels, both focusing on how beef and corn work together to create a sustainable food system. The episode was made possible by the NCGA sponsorship of the Cattlemen’s Education Series working to provide cutting edge information to beef producers that contributes to increased knowledge, profitability, and sustainability.

Geffert was a member of a panel discussing how beef and corn work together to create a sustainable food system. The panel also included: Kevin Ross, NCGA President; Mike Drinnin, owner of Drinnin feed yards; and Dr. Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska Ruminant Nutritionist.

The cattle industry is corn’s top animal ag customer and working together, the two industries can share the story of the entire value chain from corn in cattle rations, ethanol DDG production, next generation DDGS, production practices and how sustainability plays a role.

“People want to know the farmer and rancher’s story and that’s why we work to share our message,” Kylee Geffert said.

A large part of the conversation was the way cattle can take corn products and utilize in a sustainable cycle. The cattle lifecycle is sustainable, from utilizing grass that is inedible for human consumption, to converting corn to a higher quality protein to cycling to manure into a soil that is used to feed crops for human consumption.

“Management decisions to raise more beef on less resources is ultimately to improve sustainability for corn and beef,” Dr. Galen Erickson said.

Beef and corn work together to create more demand and complement each industry to create a continuous cycle. The beef industry provides $5.7 billion in corn value directly to producers. Adding corn to a cattle ration increases feed efficiency which is evident through an improved rate of gain while promoting faster growth, and a higher marbling content. Utilizing manure to cut down on the need for artificial fertilizer or integrating cattle on to cover crop can create an alternative feed source.

Producers often integrate the two industries to create a value-added opportunity for their crops. The National Corn Growers Association works to create an opportunity for consumers to learn by supporting the Cattlemen Education Series in partnership with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The episode featuring the panel will air on September 22, 2020 on RFDTV at 7:30 PM Central.