Dairy

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.

Raw milk continues to grow in popularity, despite bird flu in dairy cattle bringing increased scrutiny from health experts.

H5N1 has not been detected in Missouri’s dairy herd, but some of the state’s poultry flock has been affected. Exhibitors bringing Cows to the Missouri State Fair need to have their milk tested before arriving.

Four months after the first reported cases of bird flu in dairy cows, the price of milk and demand for it have largely remained unchanged. Industry experts say whether that remains the case will depend on how far and how quickly cases spread.

With bird flu spilling into dairies across the U.S., several Midwestern states have ramped up efforts to curb the virus. Few have expanded testing requirements like Iowa.

The USDA has confirmed 126 cases of bird flu in dairy cattle herds in a dozen states, and three dairy farmworkers have contracted the disease this year. Now Kansas is one of four states participating in a pilot program to test bulk milk tanks on dairy farms.