K-State in the news — April 2025

Some of the top stories mentioning Kansas State University are posted below. Download an Excel file (xls) with all of this month's news stories.

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

State/Regional

K-State swine team eyes ground breaking soybean meal research
4/29/25 Farm Talk radio
However, K-State assistant research professor in swine nutrition Katelyn Gaffield said her research team took a new approach to investigating soybean meal quality by evaluating novel factors like the impact of adding back soybean byproducts into meal when feeding pigs.

On average , 30-40 percent of the U.S. food goes uneaten, here’s how to reduce the waste
4/29/25 Sumner News Cow
“That is food that is either discarded, or just gets thrown out and ends up in landfills or down the drain in the sewer system, or about 4% of it is composted,” said Sharolyn Jackson, a family and consumer sciences specialist with K-State Research and Extension’s northeast area office.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

National/International

Move Over, Quinoa. There’s a New ‘It’ Crop in Town.
04/27/25 The Wall Street Journal
As the trade war strands sorghum in Kansas, the state’s farmers hope to push the tiny grain with an uncool name onto dinner plates. The dishes, starring what some are calling the next super food, rolled out of the kitchen of a Kansas State University gastropub: a cold plate of veggies with the tiny grain drizzled in honey-lemon vinaigrette; a ginger-soy vegan stir fry; and a creamy pudding. Rice? Quinoa? Couscous? Try sorghum—a high protein, non-GMO, gluten-free grain. It’s what’s for dinner.

New Scholarships Help Kansans Become Teachers
04/28/25 Philanthropy News Digest
Kansas State University’s College of Education has announced a new $3,000 Pathway to Teaching Scholarship to help Kansans who want to change careers become licensed teachers and address the state’s growing teacher shortage.

Ag Foundation Launches Tower Garden Curriculum
04/28/25 MorningAg Clips
The Rural Education Center in Kansas State University’s College of Education and the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (KFAC) received a $150,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to attract students to degrees in agriculture and food science.

Research partners to offer rancher education series
04/28/25 High Plains Journal
Noble Research Institute, a trusted educational resource for farmers and ranchers since 1945, Kansas State University and Hy-Plains Feedyard have partnered to launch a three-year educational program designed to promote sustainable grazing practices in the Flint Hills region of Kansas and Oklahoma.

Local

Kansas Science Festival illuminates local families
04/28/25 Manhattan Mercury
Attendees held snakes, watched chemical reactions and played games at the fourth-annual Kansas Science Festival in Manhattan on Saturday. Many departments at K-State were on hand to present demonstrations and experiments. K-State professor of biology Loretta Johnson gave a presentation on local prairie grasses, showing how to grow prairie plants in the garden. She gave plant samples for attendees to take home.

Monday, April 28, 2025

National/International

Investigation exposes painful new fallout from record-breaking disasters: 'It's a double-edged sword'
04/27/25 The Cool Down
When extreme weather hits, such as a hurricane, the effects can be devastating. Lives and homes can be lost. Food and clean water can be difficult to find. But, as an investigation from NC Newsline shows, there's another, often-overlooked loss that can come from these storms: child care. Bradford Wiles, an early childhood development specialist at Kansas State University, told NC Newsline, "Having early care and education as part of a recovery strategy is … one of the first things that I think really should happen. That alleviates not only the stress and difficulty of trying to parent in that time, but really frees up the adults to help their entire community recover."

How to ease your money anxiety when the economy is stressing you out
04/27/25 The Seattle Times
Four of 5 Americans in a survey for Discover last year said they were worried about their money situation, with inflation, everyday expenses and the state of the economy leading a litany of concerns. “Since COVID, we’ve all just been waiting for the next shoe to drop, moneywise,” said Megan McCoy, a financial therapist and an associate professor of personal financial planning at Kansas State University. “For years now, it’s been one kind of painful financial situation after another. We can’t catch our breath.”

State/Regional

Protecting the next generation
04/26/25 Dairy Star
What happens in utero affects the health and longevity of the next generation. Billy Brown, an assistant professor at Kansas State University, spoke about using dam nutrition to set calves up for success during the Central Plains Dairy Expo. Brown presented on the effects of prenatal exposure to choline and methionine, how dam heat abatement can play a role in the life of their offspring and the effects of parent body conditioning on calves.

Local

Food scientist suggests adding lamb to spring meals
04/26/25 Junction City Post
Adding lamb to the shopping list could liven up Spring meals, says Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee. She notes that in many countries, lamb (a young sheep) is the major source of protein. In the United States, many think of lamb as a springtime food, but it can be enjoyed year-round.

Research and Extension offices team up to host tractor safety training
04/26/25 Hutch Post
K-State Research and Extension offices in Kingman, Pratt and Reno counties, in cooperation with Kingman and Reno County Farm Bureau organizations, will once again offer "Tractor Safety" training for area youth. The course, federally required for youth ages 14 and 15 who plan to work for someone other than a parent or grandparent, will be held Tuesday, May 27, at the Livingstons Community Building, 1830 N. Main St., in Kingman.

Friday, April 25, 2025

Regional

Tariff impacts meant a tempered livestock price report
4/25/25 High Plains Journal
“It is hard to project what duration, and depth may characterize future reports,” said Glynn Tonsor, a Kansas State University professor and Extension specialist for livestock and meat marketing. “We increasingly see examples and concerns where less market guidance is provided, reflecting the astronomical increase in uncertainty in our economy.”

Panasonic putting down roots in Olathe
4/24/25 Olathe Business News
Panasonic has also partnered with their next-door neighbor on the Innovation Campus, Kansas State University – Olathe. “We love our neighbors and they’ve been great,” Sailors said. “(K-State Olathe CEO) Ben Wolfe and his team are just amazing. Early on, they said, ‘We want to do anything we can for you when you’re ready.'"

Rooted in Communities: Kansas Forest Service Cultivates a Precious Kansas Resource
4/24/25 Ad Astra Radio
The Kansas Forest Service exemplifies the engagement-focused mission of K-State, which aims to integrate engagement across all the university does. By building direct connections with communities and landowners statewide, the service represents exactly the kind of real-world impact K-State envisions in leading as a next-generation land-grant university.

How an old K-State ‘shed’ turned into a neighboring county’s treasure
4/24/25 Ad Astra Radio
“Being able to repurpose resources, being able to save taxpayer money — it’s just great to see how this partnership with K-State continues to do good for all of our constituents,” said Mark Jack, noxious weed director for Pottawatomie County and former mayor of Westmoreland . “We’re proud to have that trust from our partners at K-State that we’ll take care of this resource and put it to good use in our community.”

Thursday, April 24, 2025

National/International

Spartan researchers make every drop count
4/23/25 Michigan State University
“College of Natural Science Assistant Professor Anthony Kendall and College of Engineering Associate Professor Annick Anctil are part of an interdisciplinary team. Together, with Kansas Geological Survey and Kansas State University, they created a system to increase groundwater and preserve aquifers by harnessing the power of solar panel arrays.

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

National/International

How Financial Stress Affects Your Health
4/17/25 Everyday Health
“Normal financial stress tends to be situational; it’s often based on a specific event like moving or the holidays,” says Megan McCoy, PhD, associate professor at Kansas State and certified financial therapist in Manhattan.

Feed Center Revolution: Why Your Current Design Is Costing Your Dairy Six Figures Annually
4/23/25 The Bullvine
Joe Harner from Kansas State University notes that while “normal” shrinkage for feed in commodity buildings with three-sided bays hovers around 8%, a realistic target in enclosed facilities is just 2-4%.

AAFCO and K-State launch new animal food ingredient review process
4/22/25 Feedstuffs
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), in collaboration with the Kansas State University Olathe Innovation Campus (K-State Olathe), announced that it is introducing the new ingredient review process called the Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions (SRIS) program. This program will offer a fast and accurate scientific assessment of new animal food ingredients that will be accepted by state regulators across the U.S.

State/Regional

K-State, Pottawatomie County partner to repurpose agronomy structure
4/22/25 WIBW
Pottawatomie County and Kansas State University are partnering to repurpose an old agronomy building on the K-State campus.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

National/International

There's A Very Real Chance Your Kitchen Sink Is Crawling With Bacteria — Even If It Looks Clean
04/21/25 MSN.com
Kevin Roberts, director of the hospitality management program at Kansas State University, weighs in on how you should be cleaning your kitchen sink properly.

How baby chickens became America’s hottest commodity
04/22/25 Popular Science
Scott Beyer, an assistant professor and poultry expert at Kansas State University, contributes his expert knowledge on the increased demand for baby chickens. “Every time we have a downturn in the economy, people turn to self-sufficiency,” he said. This time it’s egg prices, and Beyer said it could take months, if not years, for commercial flocks to recover enough to stabilize the market.

A radioactive gas fills many Idaho homes, but there are few protections. Why?
04/22/25 Idaho Statesman
Radon, a colorless and odorless gas that comes from the breakdown of radioactive materials in soil, seeps upward through cracks and holes in houses and becomes trapped inside. One expert says the radon problem in Idaho homes is worse than the EPA’s figures suggest. Brian Hanson, the director of Kansas State University’s radon programs and the operator of the National Radon Program Services Center, said the EPA first published the map showing indoor radon levels in 1993 and has not updated it since.

Could last year’s Gannon space storm and GNSS outage impact farmers again?
04/21/25 High Plains Journal
A powerful geomagnetic weather event known as the Gannon Storm caused mass global navigation satellite system outages the weekend of May 10, 2024, leading to an assumed $565 million in losses for midwestern crop producers. Kansas State University precision agricultural economist Terry Griffin said what seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime space weather storm may become more of an expectation for growers in the future.

Monday, April 21, 2025

National/International

Noble Research Institute Partners with Kansas State University and Hy-Plains Feedyard to Preserve Tallgrass Prairie Through Region-Specific Rancher Education
4/18/2025 AP
Noble Research Institute (Noble), a trusted educational resource for farmers and ranchers since 1945, Kansas State University and Hy-Plains Feedyard have partnered to launch a three-year educational program designed to promote sustainable grazing practices in the Flint Hills region of Kansas and Oklahoma. In this partnership, led by Kansas State University, Noble will develop educational programming and a grazing support tool with regional knowledge and expertise from the Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition.

Sorghum research gets funding boost
4/18/2025 World-Grain.com
Efforts by the Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program (CSIP) to develop a more sustainable, resilient and valuable crop have resulted in a $1 million public commitment from the state of Kansas that will secure significant additional matching funds. Launched in 2016, CSIP is the US sorghum industry’s cornerstone sorghum improvement platform housed at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, and in collaboration with the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Could Last Year's Gannon Space Storm and GNSS Outage Impact Farmers Again?
4/18/2025 Morning AgClips
A powerful geomagnetic weather event known as the Gannon Storm caused mass global navigation satellite system outages the weekend of May 10, 2024, leading to an assumed $565 million in losses for midwestern crop producers. Kansas State University precision agricultural economist Terry Griffin said what seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime space weather storm may become more of an expectation for growers in the future.

Friday, April 18, 2025

National/International

How baby chickens became American's hottest commodity
4/18/25 Grist
“Every time we have a downturn in the economy, people turn to self-sufficiency,” said Scott Beyer, an assistant professor and poultry expert at Kansas State University. Such was the case during the Great Recession, and again during the pandemic. This time it’s egg prices, and Beyer said it could take months, if not years, for commercial flocks to recover enough to stabilize the market. But, he said, that recovery will happen, and an over-correction could even mean that “soon they’ll be discounted.”

Ask the experts: Boosting your credit card approval chances
4/18/25 WalletHub
"The worst thing is to wrongly perceive having a new credit card as a financial windfall that you can spend freely," said Frank Cabano, assistant professor of marketing at K-State's College of Business Administration. "Again, only spend what you can afford to pay each month in full to avoid the very steep interest rates. Then, you can benefit by having the credit card as it helps to build your credit and you can receive the various benefits that the credit card offers, without unnecessarily spending significant amounts of money on interest payments."

Regional

Much to contemplate
4/18/25 High Plains Journal
Glynn Tonsor, a Kansas State University professor and Extension specialist for livestock and meat marketing, said, “In short, international trade is of elevated uncertainty with the most likely outcome being less trade (perhaps less exports and fewer imports) relative to expectations just six months ago. If realized that is particularly bearish for U.S. beef and pork industries and would ultimately lead to smaller domestic industries.”

K-State Salina offers summer youth camps exploring aviation, engineering, robotics and uncrewed aircraft systems
4/18/25 Salina Post
K-State Salina's summer camps for students in the fourth- through 12th grades emphasize exposure to the aviation, engineering, robotics and uncrewed aircraft systems, or UAS, education programs offered through the campus and allow the attendees to learn from many of K-State Salina's faculty experts.

Local

Student Showcase | K-State hosts annual Open House
4/17/25 The K-State Collegian
Hundreds flocked to Kansas State’s annual Open House on April 12, showcasing several academic exhibits from across the college. According to the university’s website, it was a “chance to take the next step in your K-State journey,” and learn all there is to know about campus.

K-State Gardens offers tulip extravaganza during university Open House
4/17/25 The K-State Collegian
“Every year, we are open during K-State Open House, and we’ll have volunteers scattered throughout the garden answering questions,” said Scott McElwain, director of the K-State Gardens. “The last few years, we’ve been doing it in extravaganza, and that’s when our tulips are at their peak bloom. It gives us an opportunity to invite people to take photographs of them and the families make contributions to the gardens.”

Thursday, April 17, 2025

National/International

Could last year's Gannon space storm and Gnss outage impact farmers again?
4/16/25 Farms.com
Kansas State University precision agricultural economist Terry Griffin said what seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime space weather storm may become more of an expectation for growers in the future.

Local

Run for the Roses helps K-State Gardens celebrate 150 years
4/16/25 WIBW
You can tiptoe through the tulips - or sprint, if that’s more your speed - at the fourth annual Run for the Roses. The event supports the Kansas State University Gardens.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

National/International

Ranchers hope Trump’s tariffs boost demand for cattle but some fear market uncertainty
4/15/25 AP
Kansas State University agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor said most of the lean beef America buys comes from Australia and New Zealand where cattle are fed grass — not grain — their entire lives, and that’s an entirely different system.

State/Regional

Educational entities pair to enhance aerospace education
4/15/25 Derby Informer
The Cosmosphere and the Kansas State University-Salina campus have teamed up to enhance aerospace education and research.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

National/International

Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit
04/09/25 WalletHub
Katherine S. Mielitz, Executive Director of Powercat Financial and a Professor of Practice in the Personal Financial Planning Department at Kansas State University, provides her expert opinion on the best credit cards for fair credit.

Kansas Sorghum Producers Champion Multi-Million Investment in Sorghum Improvement
04/14/25 Morning Ag Clips
Under the leadership of the Kansas Sorghum Producers Association (KSP), the State of Kansas will invest a $1 million public commitment into the Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program (CSIP) through an appropriation in the State’s FY26 budget as a strategic water-smart crop in the next State Water Plan. Launched in 2016, CSIP is the U.S. sorghum industry’s cornerstone sorghum improvement platform housed at Kansas State University and in collaboration with the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

How to Stop Impulse Buying, According to Financial Therapists
04/14/25 SELF
According to Megan McCoy, assistant professor of personal financial planning at Kansas State University, a few quick questions can help you figure out if spending your hard-earned money on your latest whim is truly worth it.

State/Regional

Invasive lanternflies reported in 18 states, Kansas ag experts monitoring pest’s movement
04/14/25 KWCH-TV
The damaging and invasive species of spotted lanternflies has the attention of agriculture experts in Kansas, as populations are confirmed in 18 states. “We are just monitoring its movement across Illinois,” said Professor Raymond Cloyd with Kansas State University’s Entomology Department. “When it gets to Missouri, that will be something we are really going to be watching very closely how far it moves across Missouri.”

Monday, April 14, 2025

National/International

How to Ease Your Money Anxiety When the Economy Is Stressing You Out
4/12/25 New York Times
“Since Covid, we’ve all just been waiting for the next shoe to drop, moneywise,” said Megan McCoy, a financial therapist and an associate professor of personal financial planning at Kansas State University. “For years now, it’s been one kind of painful financial situation after another. We can’t catch our breath.”

State/Regional

Olathe garden will bear name of beloved JoCo horticulturalist who died last year
4/11/25 Johnson Co Post
Dennis Patton was no stranger to avid Johnson County gardeners. The horticulture agent, who served the K-State Research and Extension Office in Johnson County for 35 years, died on March 16 after a puzzling, months-long battle with lung cancer.

Early Childhood Professionals Receive New Statewide Directory
4/13/25 KSAL
Thanks to a partnership between Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities and the Division of Information Technology at Kansas State University, early childhood professionals in Kansas will have access to a new statewide directory and professional empowerment portal.

Friday, April 11, 2025

National

Meat demand driven by consumers' attitudes, not actual income
4/11/25 1310 WIBA Madison Wisconsin
Justin Bina and Glynn Tonsor, professors of agricultural economics at Kansas State University and editors of the Meat Demand Monitor, looked at over 8,000 consumers surveyed between January and March 2025. One of the most striking takeaways? Consumers who feel better off than they did a year ago are eating more meat and they're willing to pay significantly more for it, regardless of their actual income.

Farm tech adoption is about more than profit
4/10/25 RealAgriculture
Farmers are increasingly weighing quality of life alongside profitability when adopting new technologies, says Dr. Terry Griffin, ag economist at Kansas State University.

Local

Over $1 million donated at K-State Day of Giving
4/10/25 The K-State Collegian
Donations flooded in at Kansas State’s Day of Giving on Wednesday, with 47% of the donors being alumni, 20% being faculty/staff, 9% being friends, 7% being parents and 3% being students.

Meteorologist Chip Redmond on spring conditions, fire danger, chance for storms Sunday
4/10/25 KMAN
Kansas State University meteorologist and Mesonet manager Chip Redmond joined KMAN’s Morning News Thursday for a discussion of the upcoming weather forecast, ongoing fire danger and tips for burning safely.

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Local

Panel discussion on AI in Agriculture a part of K-State’s 4th-annual Social Media Week
4/9/25 WIBW
Whether you like it or not, artificial intelligence is here to stay. So as a part of its 4th-annual Social Media Week, K-State is preparing its students for what a future of AI in agriculture may look like.

K-State Open House is scheduled on Saturday
4/9/25 JC Post
Kansas State University continues to bring educational access to all with the popular All-University Open House from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 12, on the Manhattan campus.

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

National/International

International Team Calls for New Approach to Estimate Crop Yield Potential, Gaps
4/8/2025 Farms.com
Romulo Lollato, associate professor of agronomy, is a member of an international team of agronomists who is calling for a new approach to estimate crop yield potential and gaps in information that is critical in planning how to meet growing food demand.

Local

K-State partnership leads to statewide early child care and education directory
4/8/25 Manhattan Mercury
Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities partnered with the Division of Information Technology at Kansas State University to provide professional development and technical assistance to early childhood professionals.

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

National/International

State/Regional

K-State Salina and Cosmosphere partnering to expand education across Kansas
4/7/2025 Hutchinson News
While the two have worked together in the past, the Cosmosphere and Kansas State University Salina announced an official collaborative partnership to expand education and research in Kansas and beyond. The announcement was April 4 at the Cosmosphere, where Jim Remar, president and CEO of the Cosmosphere, and Alysia Starkey, K-State Salina CEO and dean, spoke to a crowd from Salina and Hutchinson about some of the details of the collaboration.

Monday, April 7, 2025

State/Regional

Cosmosphere, K-State Salina join forces to elevate aerospace education
4/4/2025 WIBW
The Kansas Cosmosphere and K-State Salina announced a new partnership that aims to elevate aerospace education and fuel the future of the aerospace industry in the state. … "We'll be collaborating on educational exhibits here in the museum, summer camps here in Hutchinson and in Salina, and then finding ways to expand our mission to other parts of Kansas and bring experiences to students all across Kansas," said Alysia Starkey, CEO and Dean of K-State Salina.

The role of water quality and effective herbicide application
4/4/2025 Great Bend Tribune
Water quality has a large impact on herbicide efficacy. As water resources decline, water quality can and does change over time. A proper water test is the best way to understand what characteristics are influencing our spray applications and how to mitigate those effects. K-State, as well as several commercial providers, can conduct water tests for a nominal charge. During the summer of 2025, researchers at K-State will be collecting spray water samples from around the state to test for quality. If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact your local Extension agent.

Warm weather creates opportunity for blood-sucking parasites
4/4/2025 Western Livestock Journal
Due to the early warming weather, Kansas State University entomologist Cassandra Olds said ticks have already been found around Manhattan, KS, in mid-March. Many tick bites are harmless, but some ticks can transmit pathogens causing diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Olds said that avoiding tick bites is the first level of defense. "Be careful when you're outdoors, especially when you're in an area with long grass," she said. "Ticks need to be protected from the elements, so they like to be in the grass and leaf litter, but then they come out looking for a meal."

Friday, April 4, 2025

Local

K-State's Office of Engagement to seamlessly connect Kansas businesses to university
4/3/25 KSNT
K-State Office of Corporate Engagement executive director Rachelle Banwart and associate. director Emily Garwood spoke about their office's work to connect K-State expertise and research to businesses across the state.

Future students can learn more about K-State at open house
4/3/25 The Mercury
“K-State Open House is a great opportunity to experience being a Wildcat and engage with all areas of the university,” said Karen Goos, vice provost for enrollment management at K-State. “K-State is an educational and research leader, and Open House allows students to share their work and passions with others.”

Thursday, April 3, 2025

State/Regional

Trio of early stage Kansas City startups tapped to join K-State Accelerator focused on boosting Kansas economy
4/2/25 Startland News
The eight-week, virtual Center for Entrepreneurship Accelerator program — through Kansas State University’s College of Business Administration — runs April to July. It is set to feature faculty-led workshops, support from hands-on student research teams, access to the university’s world-class alumni mentor network and equity-free funding for completing the program.

Impacted Wichita businesses respond to tariffs
4/2/25 KWCH
“It’s unclear what the reciprocal tariffs are going to look like, but in general, the tariffs are attacks. They are attacks applied on imported goods,” said Kansas State University Economics Professor Peri DaSilva.

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

National/International

More Meat, Less Money: What Does This Mean for Future Demand
4/1/25 Drovers
“We are seeing self-reported financial sentiment. I ask folks every month, are your finances better? The same or worse than last year? In March, I actually see more people telling me their finances have deteriorated than I did just in February,” Tonsor says.

Local

KSU Career Closet Pop-Up dresses students for success
4/1/25 WIBW
Few things go as well together as college students and being cash-strapped. That’s where the K-State Career Closet pop-up comes in.

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

State/Regional

Play therapy for young disaster survivors can be ‘extraordinarily helpful’ – but often inaccessible
4/01/25 The Guardian
The years from birth to five years old are widely recognized as the most important for a child’s cognitive, emotional and social development. To thrive during this crucial period, children need stable routines and relationships with adults they trust, according to Bradford Wiles, an associate professor and extension specialist in early childhood development at Kansas State University’s College of Health and Human Sciences.

Local

K-State entomologist provides tips for preventing tick diseases in humans and animals
3/31/25 Manhattan Mercury

‘Tis the season for warmer temperatures, getting outdoors and playing in green, grassy fields – fun, but also conditions that favor a blood-sucking parasite that preys on humans. Due to the early warming weather, K-State entomologist Cassandra Olds said ticks have already been found around Manhattan in mid-March.