Unique Businesses Make Up Kansas Exports

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Kansas’ top exports may be what you would expect, with meat taking the No. 1 spot at more than $2 billion in 2021, and cereals and oilseeds following close behind. But some exports may be more surprising. According to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, agricultural exports accounted for one-third of products leaving the state and totaled more than $5.3 billion, an increase of more than $1 billion from 2020. Kansas exported to 93 foreign markets in 2021 alone.

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Sorghum Success

Kansas planted 3.4 million acres with 265 million bushels of sorghum harvested in 2021. Sorghum falls into the cereals crop category and is a major source of grain and feed for livestock as well as ethanol. It is also gaining popularity as a gluten-free option for human consumption.

“It’s a privilege to be a part of an organization that, like others in the commodity sector, represents the grit and diligence that Kansas agriculture is known for,” says Maddy Meier, director of programs for Kansas Grain Sorghum. Kansas exports the most to Mexico, Japan and China, giving sorghum farmers the opportunity to dive into international markets. 

Falcons Flying High

Kansas’ falcon industry is soaring overseas. Tim Hickok raises and exports gyrfalcons, which are the largest in the world and the most prized bird for falconry. He personally uses the bird to hunt ducks and prairie chickens as many others do around the world. 

Based in Stilwell, Hickok has a 1,500-square-foot barn where he hatches the chicks. At 45 days old, the chicks are taken from their mother and go to a bigger barn where they live the next six weeks. They are then shipped to various destinations in the Middle East. 

“Falconry is part of the Arab culture, and there is good demand for them there,” Hickok says. “My falcons are highly sought after, garnering as much as hundreds of thousands for a single bird.”

Falcon racing has picked up around the world which contributed to an increase in demand.

Baked Bean Business

In 1992, Miller’s Inc. began as a barbecue restaurant in Wichita and has since transitioned into product development. Miller’s Famous Bar-B-Que Baked Beans with Beef as well as its Bold and Spicy recipe were initially developed using the Kansas State University Food Science Institute. Then they were able to acquire and contract with food co-packers to manufacture and ship the products to various warehouses. Miller’s baked beans are now available for both retail and wholesale markets in the region.

“The odds for a food product to be developed, marketed and sold like this are slim to none, making this feat not easy to accomplish,” says Melody Miller, owner of Miller’s Baked Beans which she created with her late husband, Larry. “My local Dillons Kroger affiliate gave us our initial entry into the grocery store sales market, and we were off to the races – and trust me, it has been a race.”

Miller is currently working with the Food Export-Midwest program and brokers to export to Vancouver, British Columbia, to help with securing markets across Canada.

“The United Kingdom would be the next international market I would like to explore,” Miller says. “Market data shows they eat a lot of baked beans.”

Excellent Exports

Daniel Rauchholz spent more than 18 years working in the agricultural equipment manufacturing field before starting his own company, Farmada. The Bavaria, Kansas-based Farmada teamed up with Mike Bergmeier at ShieldAg and Nicholas Bowles at SurePoint Ag Systems, two other Kansas companies, that are experts in their field to make the best equipment possible.

ShieldAg produces state-of-the-art ground-engaging components focused on what’s best for soils and ground conditions. SurePoint is well known for the configuration of anhydrous and liquid application systems that ensure products get delivered accurately. Through this partnership, farm equipment has been shipped in large amounts to Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Illinois and around Kansas to apply fertilizer for corn and sunflowers.

See more: Expanding Ag Exports On the Horizon

All three companies involved believe that export success is important because it allows them to compare the best U.S. farming practices with the ones they encounter from overseas and ultimately make domestic production the best it can be.

“Kansans celebrate the success of the other and work hard to bring fellow Kansans forward,” Rauchholz says. “One can accomplish great things when one does not care who gets the credit. That is the Kansas way.”