The 2024 Beef Empire Days final results of the Live and Carcass contests were announced June 7 at the awards banquet. The Merck Animal Health Live Show was June 4, with entries harvested and carcass evaluations conducted June 7.

Triangle H, a feedyard based in Garden City, Kan., took home the overall top honors — the Earl C. Brookover Award. Using the Beef Empire Days Index, all entries were ranked based on how well they fit the specific industry targets. It’s a way to rank fed cattle based on both their live and carcass contest placings. The winning animal earns the feedlot the traveling Brookover Award — and bragging rights for the year.

Triangle H steer No. 202, placed first in the Steer Carcass Contest and seventh in the Steer Merck Animal Health Live Contest; and using the BED Index, won the Brookover Award. In the Carcass Show, Triangle H fed both the Champion Steer, Tag No. 202, and Reserve Champion Steer, Tag No. 202.

Other overall placings in the steer show include: second, Steer No. 104, fed by Turon Feedyard, owned by Dale and Carol Voran; third, Steer No. 113, fed by Beef Belt LLC, owned by W6; fourth, Steer No. 111, fed by Beef Belt LLC, owned by Clapp Ranch; and fifth, Steer No. 109, fed by Turon Feedyard, owned by Dale and Carol Voran.

The heifer overall results include: first, No. 254, fed and owned by Hy-Plains Feedyard; second, No. 212, fed by Beef Belt LLC, owned by W6; third, Heifer No. 222, fed by Sunbelt Feedyard, owned by David Dodd Cattle Co.; fourth, Heifer No. 267, fed by Sublette Feeders, owned by Rus Jones; and fifth, Heifer No. 251, fed by HRC Feedyard, owned by Burkdoll Bros.

Hy-Plains Feedyard also fed the Champion Heifer Carcass, Tag No. 253.

For full results, visit pages+from+2024+awards+banquet+program.pdf.

KARL Class XVII announced

The Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program announced members of the newest class of KARL Associates, June 1.

Each class experiences a two-year curriculum of 52 seminar days across the state of Kansas; a national study tour to Washington, D.C. and to the Gettysburg Leadership Experience at the historic battleground; a domestic study tour; and an international study tour.

KARL XVII: The newest class of Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership Associates was announced June 1. The 30 members of KARL Class XVII will travel to Brazil for their international tour in 2026. (Kansas State Extension News Service)

Jill Zimmerman, president of KARL, said that members of Class XVII will travel to Brazil for their international study tour.

The list of KARL Class XVII Associates includes: Juliana Whisman, Anthony; Kaleb Horne, Baldwin City; Ryan Boggs, Buhler; Colleen Eberle, Cawker City; Tyler Cramer, Cheney; Courtney Schamberger, Claflin; Jenny Niblock, Colby; John Starnes and Mollea Wainscott, Dodge City; Maddy Meier, Goessel; Aubrie Schaefer, Hanover; Trevor Pederson, Hiawatha; Nichole Gouldie, Inman; Jose Lara, Liberal; Marsha Boswell, Dena Bunnel, Edie Doane, Adam Jimison, Janae McKinney and Lauren Terry, Manhattan; Justine Henderson, Minneapolis; Jerrod Prebyl, Oketo; Lucas Simmer, Overland Park; Bailey Miller, Phillipsburg; Mike Parsons, Russell; Clinton Glaser and Paige Harding, Salina; Lisa Schemm, Sharon Springs; and Megan Anguiano and Ryan Gilliand, Topeka.

For more information about KARL, call Zimmerman at 785-532-6300, email [email protected] or visit the KARL website at karlprogram.com.

Governor updates drought declaration

Gov. Laura Kelly approved updated drought declarations for all 105 Kansas counties through proclamation June 10.

“While drought conditions have improved in some areas of the state, many counties continue to be negatively impacted by the decline in water supply or strains on water resources,” Kelly says. “I strongly encourage all Kansans to continue to conserve water over the summer months.”

The drought declaration placed four counties into emergency status, 35 into warning status and the remaining 66 into watch status. Effective immediately, the proclamation declares a drought emergency for Hodgeman, Ness, Pawnee and Rush counties.

It also declares a drought warning for Barber, Barton, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, McPherson, Meade, Morton, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Russell, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner and Wichita counties. The declaration places the remaining counties under drought watch status.

The governor’s drought declarations also authorizes and directs all agencies under the jurisdiction of the governor to implement the appropriate watch, warning, or emergency-level drought response actions assigned in the operations plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.

This action was recommended by Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office and chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. While eastern Kansas has seen significant relief from drought since March, central and western Kansas have declined rapidly into severe and — in a few counties, extreme —drought. Recent rain events have helped, but there is still a concern.

“The counties in a watch status are experiencing conditions that indicate the probability of a water shortage is rising. It is important to monitor these conditions and be mindful of water usage in these counties,” Owen says. “Summer has arrived — and with it, higher temperatures and a decrease in precipitation. The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to monitor the drought conditions across Kansas and make recommendations to Gov. Kelly as conditions change.”

Learn more at argcis.com; (search for Climate and Drought).