December 2025
K-State in the news
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.
Monday, Dec. 22, 2025
National/International
13 Things You Should Refrigerate — But Almost No One Does
12/19/25 Bolde
According to grain researchers at Kansas State University, whole wheat flour stored cold retains nutritional integrity significantly longer. The fridge prevents off-smells and bitterness that ruin baked goods. This is especially critical for almond, oat, and specialty flours.
Friday, Dec. 19, 2025
State/Regional
Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025
National/International
These farmers are producing record crops despite droughts and floods
12/15/25 Reuters
Most large-scale farmers have access to such technology in their tractors, combines, sprayers and management computers, Terry Griffin, a Kansas State University agricultural economist, said. But an older generation of farmers often doesn't want to take on digital challenges, while younger farmers don't have the money for machines or agronomic advice.
What’s for dinner? If it’s beef, it’ll cost you.
12/17/25 Christian Science Monitor
As U.S. beef production drops, the meatpacking industry has been trying to produce more beef from the cattle it slaughters. “By historic standards, we’re still producing a lot of beef. We’re just doing it with fewer cows,” Glynn Tonsor, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, told NPR.
State/Regional
Economist sees steady markets but ongoing trade uncertainty for next year
12/17/25 Brownfield Ag News
Allen Featherstone with K-State says it could be a similar situation for row crop farmers. “If you look at the markets, they are pretty level from where they were in 2025. One of the things that will be uncertain is what the trade picture will be.”
K-State biosecurity center secures grant to boost animal disease preparedness training
12/17/25 Midwest Messenger
Kansas State University's National Agricultural Biosecurity Center is expanding its role on the front lines of animal disease preparedness with a new U.S. Department of Agriculture grant that will immerse extension professionals in realistic outbreak planning across the central U.S.
Monday, Dec. 15, 2025
National/International
These farmers are producing record crops despite droughts and floods
12/15/25 Reuters
Much of what has allowed Canadian farmers to deal with climate change involves expensive and complex equipment. Most large-scale farmers have access to such technology in their tractors, combines, sprayers and management computers, Terry Griffin, a Kansas State University agricultural economist, said. But an older generation of farmers often doesn't want to take on digital challenges, while younger farmers don't have the money for machines or agronomic advice.
Despite Historic Demand, Beef Supply Remains Low, and Prices Stay High. Here's Why.
12/15/25 Farms.com
From weeknight ground beef to special-occasion steaks, consumers continue to see higher prices at the meat case. At its core, the beef market runs on supply and demand like everything else but when you factor in production cycles, global trade uncertainty and a persistent U.S. taste for beef, that simple model gets complicated fast."Beef prices are higher because demand is strong and supply is tight," said Glynn Tonsor, professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. "You have to understand both sides of that equation."
Tips For A Safe Kitchen
12/15/25 Yourwellness
Kansas State University food safety specialists have recommended certain tips to prevent cross contamination in the kitchen.
State/Regional
Salina Tuba Christmas put on another show for 2025, next performance Brass concert Dec. 20
12/13/25 Salina Post
The Salina Tuba Christmas band put on yet another great show, playing fan favorite Christmas carols for the 2025 season. The band consisted of 40 players, which was the largest since it started 15 years ago at the Central Mall. Players came from Augusta High School, Fort Hays State University, Kansas Wesleyan University, K-State Salina, Lincoln High School, Thomas-Moore Prep and Concordia High School to name a few.
Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025
National/International
US farmers say Trump's $12 billion aid package won't cover losses
12/10/25 Reuters
The $12 billion in aid will "get spread out quite a bit," said Jennifer Ifft, professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. "If you're in a bad place financially, this is just a bridge."
UK study points to potential food-safety risks in hemp plant tops that are fed to cattle
12/10/25 Hemp Today
The research team included scientists from Kansas State University, which has led the U.S. research program on hemp in livestock and contributors from institutions with regulatory- and veterinary-science expertise — among them investigators affiliated with U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine and other academic veterinary research units.
Local
K-State Bakery Science Club provides students with real-world experience
12/11/25 WIBW
Kansas State University’s Bakery Science Club hosted its annual holiday bake sale Wednesday. “There’s definitely a lot of planning that goes into the sale,” club member Abigail Reid said. “Trying to coordinate, when are we going to make everything, scaling out all the ingredients, making sure that we get out of the lab at a reasonable time at night. And that we’re still having fun while doing stuff.”
Manhattan Town Center to host annual TubaChristmas performance
12/9/25 Manhattan Mercury
Kansas State University music professor Steven Maxwell has led the annual free performance at Manhattan Town Center since 2006. “It’s people from across the spectrum,” he said. “The youngest people are usually 12 in fifth grade just starting on tuba and we’ve got people in their 90s still coming out to play.”
Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025
National/International
What to Do If You Receive a Financial Windfall
12/08/25 AARP
Megan McCoy, a marriage and family therapist who teaches financial therapy at Kansas State University, weighs in on what to do when a large sum of money falls into your lap.
State/Regional
Finding Value in Livestock Wastewater
12/09/25 Drovers
Kansas State University researchers are leading an innovative effort to turn livestock wastewater into a reusable resource in a project that helps to conserve the Ogallala Aquifer and strengthen sustainability across the High Plains. The four-year, $6 million project, led by Prathap Parameswaran, an associate professor in K-State’s Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, brings together engineering, agricultural economics and social science experts from K-State, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Oklahoma State University and Seward County Community College.
Local
New Kansas-based American Honey Institute to advocate for industry standards
12/08/25 Manhattan Mercury
The newly formed American Honey Institute will offer the honey industry the same opportunities and advocacy that other commodities currently have, one of its founders said. Gary LaGrange, CEO of Valor Honey, said on the Kansas Reflector podcast that industry-wide challenges need to be addressed. Brian McCornack, K-State professor and head of the Department of Entomology, joined LaGrange on the podcast to talk about the honey institute, which he will lead. LaGrange said K-State offers research capabilities along with the ability to communicate through its networks to support educational outreach.
Monday, Dec. 8, 2025
State/Regional
K-State clinical professor offers tips to keep your pets safe this holiday season
12/05/2025 WIBW
We all love the holidays and many of us couldn’t enjoy them without our beloved pets. Dr. Susan Nelson is a clinical professor at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. On Friday, Dec. 5, she gave us tips on how you can keep your pets safe this holiday season. "We have lights up, we have trees up, so things to keep in mind — electrical cords, try to keep them tucked out of sight. Especially for cats and dogs, especially puppies, kittens that might want to be chewing on those."
Local
KSU to hold fall grad commencement ceremonies in Salina and Manhattan Dec. 12 & 13
12/06/2025 Salina Post
Kansas State University will see more than 1,500 candidates for graduation this fall at commencement ceremonies set for Friday, Dec. 12, in Manhattan and Salina and Saturday, Dec. 13, in Manhattan.
Friday, Dec. 5, 2025
State/Regional
How are producers finding success with stockers?
12/05/25 Drovers
“The Flint Hills grass is adapted to burning from centuries of wildfires on the prairie, and if this practice is not done, we see a reduction in cattle performance,” says Bill Hollenbeck, Kansas State University beef systems manager. “This also allows for the control of non-native forage species and can reduce tick populations.” The K-State Stocker Unit practices early intensive grazing. They turn cattle out on native prairie grasses such as big bluestem, Indiangrass and little bluestem around May 1 and allow a 90-day grazing period that ends about Aug. 1.
Local
K-State's fall 2025 commencement ceremonies celebrate Wildcat excellence
12/05/25 JC Post
Kansas State University will see more than 1,500 candidates for graduation this fall at commencement ceremonies set for Friday, Dec. 12, in Manhattan and Salina and Saturday, Dec. 13, in Manhattan. The university will award approximately 1,050 bachelor's degrees, 350 master's degrees and 100 doctorates this fall. Seventy students will be earning multiple degrees and majors.
Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025
National/International
Helping College Students Save for the Long Term
12/03/25 Inside Higher Ed
High tuition rates and cost-of-living expenses can make it difficult for students to make ends meet in the present, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worried about future financial burdens. A 2025 Student Voice survey found that one in five respondents say their biggest source of stress when considering their post-college future is “affording life after graduation.” Kansas State University’s Powercat Financial division offers peer counselors and staff who can answer questions about retirement planning and help students navigate various accounts that might be available to them. The university has also created blog posts that detail how to evaluate employee benefits.
State/Regional
K-State Research and Extension talk tips and tricks for sticking to your New Year's goals on KFJX
12/03/25 KFJX
Katherine Pinto joined the KOAM Morning News on FOX 14 for Wildcat Wednesday. Pinto shared tips and tricks for helping people stay on top of their New Year's resolutions.
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025
National/International
U.S. Department of Energy Awards More Than $5 Million for University Nuclear Energy Infrastructure
12/2/25 Department of Energy
Kansas State University will receive $138,182 from the U.S. Department of Energy to refurbish the primary tank at the university's research reactor. The original aluminum liner will be renovated by applying a robust spray-on coating. Outcomes of the upgrade will be the mitigation of major maintenance issues and increased safety of the reactor leading to increased reliability.
Why Kansas Is One of America’s Leading Wheat Producers
12/2/25 MSN.com
Research and University Support
Kansas State University plays a major role in maintaining the state’s wheat leadership. Its agricultural research programs develop new wheat varieties that resist disease, pests, and drought. Extension programs send this research directly to farmers across the state.
State/Regional
Trio of musicians to perform concert at Sandzén Gallery
12/2/25 Salina Journal
Alyssa Morris is an associate professor of oboe at Kansas State University and the principal oboist of the Topeka Symphony and Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley.
Local
Boyd Hall renovations give K-State honors students new home
12/2/25 Manhattan Mercury
For a short moment, Jacob Huyett had the rare opportunity to feel the magic of discovering his K-State home for a second time.
Holiday hazards: K-State vet shares tips to protect pets
12/2/25 KSNT
A Kansas State University clinical professor and veterinarian is sharing tips to keep your pets safe during the holiday season.
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025
National/International
Couple that earns $268K a year is drowning in $600K of debt. Why Ramit Sethi says their 'parent-child' dynamic is 'toxic' for their marriage
12/1/25 Moneywise on MSN
A study from Kansas State University found that arguments about money are the number one predictor of divorce.
Global Experts Converge at LPU to Shape the Future of Sustainable Food Systems
12/1/25 Dariya News
Dr. Gaurav Jha from Kansas State University, USA, offered an in-depth exploration of digital agronomy as a pathway to water resilience. His talk connected the soil–water–crop–aquifer continuum with cutting-edge technologies such as hyperspectral imaging, thermal drone assessments, satellite-based analytics, and integrated sensor–drone systems.
State/Regional
Kansas Livestock Foundation Scholarship Winners Recognized
12/1/25 Farms.com
Several K-State students from the College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture recognized with scholarships from KLF.
Monday, Dec. 1, 2025
State/Regional
K-State Recognized As A Top University In The Nation By The Princeton Review
11/26/2025 Sunflower State Radio
At Kansas State University, students grow into the leaders of tomorrow. Through world-class research opportunities, award-winning faculty instruction, experiential learning and leadership opportunities, and dedicated support throughout their journeys, K-State provides the foundation to help these future leaders flourish. Because of the university's commitment to student support and resources, K-State has been recognized as one of the best schools in the nation by The Princeton Review.
K-State food safety expert shares do's and don'ts to ensure you and your family are safe
11/25/2025 High Plains Journal
You may have learned from parents or grandparents, or even read in old recipes, to rinse meat before cooking. But Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee said rinsing meat is an outdated practice that can create food safety problems. "This can lead to foodborne illness," Blakeslee said. "Rinsing meat at home can lead to cross contamination of clean surfaces or ready-to-eat foods, as examples."
Measuring what matters is key to managing cow herd
11/27/2025 Midwest Messenger
As the fall season wraps up, Kansas State University cow-calf specialist Jason Warner encourages cattle producers to consider tracking a few key numbers to help them make more informed management decisions for the year ahead. "It's a great time to come back and take a look at the metrics we are seeing with a given group of cows and females to help navigate decision making," Warner said. Warner outlined three primary metrics producers should consider when reviewing herd data this season: conception percentage, calving percentage, and weaning percentage.
Local
K-State to begin design on Campus Master Plan projects
11/25/2025 KMAN
Kansas State University will begin the first campus restoration projects on its Campus Master Plan in January. After the Kansas Board of Regents approved the plan in September, K-State is moving on to the design phase. "We're beginning a number of projects from the Kansas Campus Restoration Act," said Lisa Johnson, assistant vice president for planning, design and construction. "We're starting design on a number of those projects."
K-State beef cattle experts offer insight for producers on choosing cows
11/25/2025 The Mercury
As the beef industry evolves, K-State beef cattle experts say producers may benefit from rethinking long-held assumptions about cow size, milk production and grazing efficiency. In a recent episode of the Cattle Chat podcast produced by the university’s Beef Cattle Institute, experts discussed how modern feedlot trends are influencing decisions at the cow–calf level — including whether bigger cows or smaller cows create more value on pasture.