Dairy

There’s a chance your next bowl of cereal or protein shake will include milk that came from Kansas. Dairy production in the state has quadrupled over the last couple decades, and that growth rests on the shoulders of immigrant workers in rural Kansas.

Kansas has a fast-growing dairy industry, but milking cows isn’t easy and it’s hard to find workers. Industry groups say immigrants are critical and those workers say they’re needed to feed Kansas families.

Hot cattle translates to less milk and profits for dairy farmers. As the summers get warmer, dairies are looking for ways to keep cows comfortable and monitor heat stress.

New federal guidelines recommend Americans include full-fat dairy in their diets. While recent studies suggest full-fat milk may not harm heart health, scientists say more research is needed.

Cow cuddling, ice cream churning and farm tours are among the tactics dairy farmers are employing to compensate for low milk prices

Managing alpha-gal syndrome, a tickborne allergy to mammalian products like red meat and dairy, can be hard for anyone. But for Missouri farmers who are in close contact with cattle, the allergy can be ruinous and possibly deadly.

Industry experts say interest in protein consumption among consumers is likely driving growth in whole milk sales. But the trend may be a blip in the ongoing decline in U.S. milk consumption.

From The Better Cheddar to dedicated charcuterie stores, Kansas City has an abundance of specialty cheese shops, cheesemakers and cheese-making classes to explore. These are some of our favorite places to find gourmet cheeses.

The processing plant in Seward is expected to create 75 new jobs, increasing the state’s dairy workforce, and is projected to process 1.8 million pounds of milk a day.

People without legal status are a key part of the dairy industry's workforce. Some producers hope their economic contribution will protect farms from ICE raids and may open the conversation around policy reform.

Federal agencies have mandated and facilitated testing for the H5N1 virus to try to protect birds, cows and humans; researchers in the Midwest hope those efforts continue under the new presidential administration.

The price of beef is at all-time highs, but a major policy initiative of the incoming Trump Administration could drive them higher. In an industry that's already strapped for workers, mass deportations could put some ranchers and feedlots out of business.