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, June 8, 2026

National/International

Low Prices Increase Chances for Kansas Farm Payments
6/5/2026 RFD TV
Low projected crop prices are making federal farm program payments more likely for wheat, corn, grain sorghum, and soybean producers. Kansas State University economist Rich Llewelyn estimates marketing-year prices remain below effective reference prices for all four crops.

Implement strong identification processes
6/6/2026 AGRI-VIEW
In today's cattle market, something as simple as a tag number or brand can carry added importance for producers working to protect their investment. With cattle prices reaching historic highs, proper identification and branding have taken on new importance for beef producers, according to Kansas State University beef cattle veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff. "Cattle identification is essential when it comes to proving ownership," Tarpoff said. "With the value of cattle today, having a reliable form of identification serves as a simple but effective insurance policy for producers."

State/Regional

Impact of Iran war pressing input costs
6/5/2026 High Plains Journal
The war in Iran is making it painful for farmers, and the longer it lingers means high fertilizer and diesel fuel prices are going to hover over the ag industry. Gregg Ibendahl, an agricultural economics professor who studies farm input costs and finances at Kansas State University, provided an update during a recent K-State webinar. Ibendahl said high volatility is nothing new in the ag sector. Four years ago, Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent oil prices to $130 per barrel, although they came down relatively soon.

'Destructive' Japanese beetles are active in Kansas. Here's how to get rid of them
6/5/2026 The Wichita Eagle
A notoriously harmful pest is once again active in Kansas, threatening your lawn and vegetable gardens along with your flowers, plants and trees. The culprit is the Japanese beetle — and the adults are known as one of the Sunflower State's "most destructive insect pests of horticultural plants," according to Kansas State University Research and Extension. "Japanese beetles are a widespread and destructive pest affecting landscapes, gardens, and turfgrass across Kansas," Matthew McKernan, consumer horticulture extension associate, said in the June 2 K-State Horticulture Newsletter. "Both larvae (grubs) and adults (beetles) cause plant damage."

Local

Late-season rain stalls rapidly maturing Kansas wheat
6/5/2026 The Mercury
"This has been a really challenging year for the wheat crop around the state," said Romulo Lolloto, K-State wheat and forages extension specialist. "The crop is further ahead in development than usual, so a lot of the rain will not benefit parts of the state … probably the majority of south central Kansas."