K-State in the news

Recent news highlights

Read some of today's top stories mentioning Kansas State University. Download an Excel file (xlsx) with all of the day's news stories.

See more K-State faculty, staff and students in the news in the clip archives.

Monday, April 20, 2026

National/International

Public grocery stores are having a moment. Can they really make food more affordable?
4/17/2026 CBC Radio-Canada
Rial Carver, the program director for Kansas State University's Rural Grocery Initiative, which supports new grocery stores, says finding the right people to run a public grocery store is crucial. "When you run on such thin profit margins, there's not a lot of room for error," she said. The main models for running a public grocer are public-private partnerships or municipally owned operations, according to Carver.

BBQ lovers beware: Middle East conflict might disrupt your summer plans this year
4/18/2026 Fox News
Burger lovers take warning: neighborhood cookouts could be more expensive this summer, thanks to conflict in the Middle East. Global tensions are pushing up energy prices, resulting in higher costs for beef and the propane used to fuel backyard grills — just in time for Americans getting ready for barbecue season. "The impact of ongoing challenges in the Middle East on energy prices impacts nearly every facet of the U.S. economy and beef-cattle are not immune," Glynn Tonsor, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, told Fox News Digital.

What's Happening With Kansas Wheat
4/17/2026 MorningAgClips
A combination of weather extremes, drought conditions and pest pressure is creating challenges for Kansas wheat producers as the 2026 growing season continues, according to experts on the Kansas State University Agriculture Today podcast. K-State agronomists Logan Simon and Jeanne Falk Jones say Kansas wheat has experienced significant temperature swings in recent months, raising concerns about crop growth and development.

State/Regional

Nitrate is quietly polluting rural drinking wells. How researchers are working to help
4/20/2026 Kansas Public Radio
Scientists have tested more than 200 private wells across nine counties in this region. About half of the sites turned out to contain more nitrate than the federal government considers safe to drink. Many of the others were not far from crossing that point. "In another year or two, you could be above it," said Matthew Kirk, a geology professor at Kansas State University who's been busy for the past five years helping families in this region find out what’s in their water — and simultaneously piecing together a picture of how widespread the contamination has become.

Bovine Respiratory Disease Research Receives $4 Million Grant
4/17/2026 WNAX
A faculty member at Kansas State University is taking a deep dive into a disease that is the leading cause of mortality in the cattle industry. The work of this research team has been recognized for its significance and recently received a $4 million grant to continue their study of Bovine Respiratory Disease. Dr. Brad White, professor at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Director of Beef Cattle Institute, says that their early findings have brought new light to the effects of BRD on the entire body.