November 2026
K-State in the news
Some of the top stories mentioning Kansas State University are posted below.
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026
National/International
K-State Salina Earns FAA Self-Examining Authority for Instrument Ratings
11/11/26 General Aviation News
Pilot students at Kansas State University Salina can now earn instrument ratings without scheduling tests with outside examiners, following approval from the FAA granting the campus self-examining authority
Local
K-State trombonist invites 3 million to recital, goes viral
11/11/26 KSN
Jared Eck has played the trombone since fifth grade, and now his talents have been seen by millions after a viral Instagram post.
Silent guard honors veterans at Kansas State University
11/11/26 WIBW
A group of Kansas State University students honored veterans in a special way Wednesday. Air Force ROTC cadets at the university held an annual silent guard outside the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on campus.
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026
National/International
America’s farmers are harvesting a bounty. Why are they struggling?
11/10/26 Christian Science Monitor
As a result, “a lot of the farmers are break-even or not quite break-even on the crop side,” says Allen Featherstone, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. “The thing that saved them, though, is the amount of government program payments that have come out.”
University and pet food industry partnerships drive research, train workforce
11/10/26Pet Food Industry
Lonnie Hobbs Jr., Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, said companies often fund research around a specific business question, whether it involves ingredients, nutrition, processing or sustainability.
State/Regional
K-State Extension Adding Services to Aid in Nutrition Education
11/10/26 KPR
Kansas State University is training extension agents to help health care providers increase their patients’ understanding about nutrition. Harvest Public Media reports that there’s a growing push in the medical field to inform patients about how nutrition can help combat diseases. The concept is called “food is medicine.”
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026
National/International
Mexican Feeder Cattle Imports Begin Rebuilding After Reopening
11/9/2026 RFD-TV
Mexican feeder cattle imports are beginning to recover as U.S. border crossings reopen, but trade remains far below pre-closure levels following restrictions tied to New World screwworm. Kansas State University economist Brian Coffey says more than 13,000 Mexican feeder cattle entered the United States during September, equal to about 16 percent of September 2024 volume. Santa Teresa reopened September 24, with Columbus, New Mexico following October 26.
Monday, Nov. 9, 2026
National/International
USDA Invests in Alternative Crop Growth
11/6/2026 Farms.com
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is supporting efforts to expand alternative crop production across the country through a new round of research funding. USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has awarded $1.8 million through its Supplemental and Alternative Crops competitive grant program. The funding awarded for fiscal year 2026 will support four projects led by organizations located in different parts of the country. Award recipients include Kansas State University, New West Genetics Inc., Pennsylvania State University, and Texas A&M University.
K-State, Purdue set pest training for crop and grain storage pros
11/6/2026 Feed&Grain
Kansas State University Research and Extension and Purdue University are hosting pest management training this fall, with Kansas sessions focused on field pests and an Indiana workshop aimed at protecting grain after it goes into storage. … The Kansas program covers weed, insect and disease management in western and central Kansas. Topics include weather, drone applications and weed detection, glufosinate applications in dry environments, and insect pests from 2026 and those to watch in 2027. The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) will present the core hour on state regulations.
State/Regional
Cash flow should guide farmland renting versus buying
11/6/2026 High Plains Journal
With farmland values at historically high levels and farm income under pressure, producers weighing whether to rent or buy additional acres must look beyond land prices and potential appreciation to determine what their operations can afford. Brian Briggeman, an agricultural economics professor at Kansas State University, said cash flow should be the starting point for evaluating whether to rent or purchase farmland. Producers also need to consider their financial position, long-term growth plans, borrowing capacity, and the stability of their relationships with landowners.
Local
K-State Developing Scholars Program gives research opportunities to new students
11/08/2026 JC Post
K-State's Staley School of Leadership announced that the Developing Scholars Program admitted 24 new students as part of its 2026-27 academic year cohort on Oct. 28. … Susan Rensing, director of the Developing Scholars Program, said the program helps K-State fulfill its mission as a land-grant university. "Getting more students involved in undergraduate research is part of the K-State strategic plan," Rensing said. "It's also a big part of our mission as a land-grant institution. One of the unique things about the Developing Scholars Program is that we have long-standing partnerships with various community colleges throughout the state of Kansas, especially in the southwest. Transfer students from those community colleges have been a big part of our students over the years."
Friday, Nov. 6, 2026
National/International
Analysts: Kim John-Un won't save Trump politically after 'blue tsunami'
11/5/26 Korean Broadcasting System English Service
Political science professor Nathaniel Birkhead at Kansas State University and others pointed to a strong correlation between the turnout rate and opposition to Trump. “What happened is that Democrats turned out in numbers that are consistent with presidential election years, which is very uncommon. Independents did as well, but Republicans typically stayed home…"
Wheat kernels analyzed for better bread
11/5/26 Chemical & Engineering News (American Chemical Society)
Grain scientists at Kansas State University led by Yonghui Li made the model by using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to analyze more than 250 varieties of intact wheat kernels. NIR spectra can give information about the protein, moisture, and starch in wheat kernels with minimal sample preparation. Li and coworkers milled the wheat kernels into flour, made the flour into dough, baked the dough into bread, and measured the bread’s loaf volume—a key indicator of the bread’s texture and appearance. The researchers then used artificial intelligence to create a model that predicts whether new kernels will make good bread based on their NIR spectra.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026
National/International
Large Animal Veterinarian Shortage Reaches Record High
11/3/26 RFD-TV
Dr. Todd Gunderson, a veterinary professor at Kansas State University, says getting more students interested in rural veterinary medicine is important, but so is making sure they’re prepared for the job.
“Recruitment, yes. Job shadowing, mentoring, internships, things along those lines, those are all really helpful ways to help young people decide if this is something they’re interested in, maybe get some people who wouldn’t normally have thought about rural veterinary medicine a perspective on it, and kind of encourage them to join. Once we get young students started on the path to rural veterinary medicine, it’s critical that we set them up for success. I believe strongly we need to provide veterinary students and early career veterinarians in rural practice with training and tools for establishing solid work-life boundaries, running profitable businesses, and dealing with the demands of an evolving food animal industry.”
Kernza perennial grain research project concludes, laying the groundwork for the crop’s next phase
11/3/26 KFGO
Development of a genomic selection method at Kansas State University that reduced the time and cost of genotyping Kernza, accelerating future variety development.
Local
K-State Johnson Cancer Research Center celebrates survivors at annual Power Luncheon
11/3/26 WIBW
Melissa Kirkwood with K-State’s Johnson Cancer Research Center visited Eye on NE Kansas with Tara Claycamp, who’ll be speaking at this year’s power luncheon. The Cure Starts with Us Power Luncheon with K-State’s Johnson Cancer Research Center is Thursday, Nov. 12 at Hilton Garden Inn, 410 S. 3rd St. in Manhattan.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
National/international
Fewer Cattle, Heavier Carcasses Shows America Keeps Getting More Beef From Fewer Cows
11/03/2026 Iowa PBS
For three years, people have predicted shoppers would walk away from the meat counter at today's beef prices. Kansas State University agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor says that's a good way to be wrong. The most likely path to lower beef prices in the next 18 months is a weaker U.S. economy, not a public that has lost its taste for beef, and Tonsor asks why anyone would cheer for that. He also explains how a price drop today could leave consumers with less beef and less incentive for quality 30 months down the road. Plus, what the Meat Demand Monitor shows about who is still buying, and why a three-second soundbite never tells the whole story.
Monday, Nov. 2, 2026
National/international
KSU links with Brazilian ingredients company
10/30/2026 World Grain
The Kansas State University (KSU) Department of Grain and Food Science has signed a five-year agreement with PMAN linking the Brazilian baking ingredients company’s research and laboratory capabilities in Brazil with KSU faculty, students and facilities. As part of the partnership, KSU's Department of Grain and Food Science will have access to PMAN's LABTERMO microbiology laboratory in Campinas, Brazil. The agreement also lays the foundation for a Brazil-US baking innovation network connecting researchers, industry professionals and technical experts in two of the Western Hemisphere's largest baking markets, KSU said.
Pick Another Protein? Americans Still Want Beef, Despite the Price.
10/31/2026 The New York Times
The well-off among American consumers "have never been more able and willing to pay for great beef, and it has the market outcome of raising the price," said Glynn Tonsor, a livestock economist at Kansas State University. The average American is projected to eat 59 pounds of beef this year, up from a low of 54 pounds in 2014.
Trump pledges $15B for farmers struggling with costs ahead of midterm elections
11/01/2026 New York Post
Gregg Ibendahl, a farm management specialist at Kansas State University, said he estimates the payments to "more than cover the increase in fuel costs," and that the money could help with high fertilizer prices.
State/Regional
New K-State Tool Simplifies Agricultural Property Taxes
10/30/2026 Kansas Ag Connection
Kansas State University (K-State) has launched the Kansas Property Tax Estimator Tool, a new online resource designed to help Kansans better understand how agricultural property taxes are calculated. Developed through K-State’s Department of Agricultural Economics in partnership with Cornell University, the free tool allows landowners, producers, and other stakeholders to explore property tax scenarios and improve planning decisions.
Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Launches Growing Readers Micro-Curriculum to Strengthen Early Literacy
10/30/2026 Morning Ag Clips
Each unit includes a full suite of ready-to-use classroom resources, including printable worksheets, hands-on activities, and a read-aloud video for each book, recorded by the author and funded by Kansas State University’s College of Education. "The College of Education is proud to support the Growing Readers Micro-curriculum, which builds on the rich knowledge and experiences students bring to the classroom. By making early literacy meaningful and engaging, this curriculum creates valuable opportunities for students to learn, grow, and thrive," said Debbie Mercer, Nelson and Marilyn Galle Dean of Education. These lessons were written by Kelsy Sproul, Graduate Teaching Assistant at Kansas State University College of Education, whose graduate assistantship contributions to the project are supported by the College of Education.
November 14th High School Students are Invited to Explore Aviation at K-State
10/31/2026 MidwestFlyer.com
Kansas State University Salina is hosting a one-of-a-kind event for students ages 16 and up to explore education and career opportunities in aviation during Aviation Explorer Day on Saturday, Nov. 14. The free event begins at 9:30 a.m. and is for prospective students and their guardians interested in all aspects of aviation, including aviation maintenance, aviation management, professional pilot and uncrewed aircraft systems.
Local
The Cure Starts with Us Power Luncheon - KSU Johnson Cancer Research Center
11/01/2026 JC Post
The Cure Starts with Us Power Luncheon, will be Thursday, November 12 at the Hilton Garden Conference Center in Manhattan. This is a special event designed to bring together all cancer survivors, advocates, and supporters to enhance the well-being of cancer patients.