K-State in the news

Recent news highlights

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

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

Friday, March 20, 2026

National/International

‘It’s not sustainable’: US farmers reeling as Iran war pushes fertilizer costs up
3/20/26 The Guardian
In 2025, if it wasn’t for federal subsidies, including the $12bn in bridge loans the USDA is offering to farmers hurt by Donald Trump’s tariffs, producers would have lost money. Gregg Ibendahl, associate professor at Kansas State University, says the extra payments were a lifeline to farmers. “They turned a really bad year into at least a mediocre year,” he said.

Classroom to career: Gaurav Jha
3/13/26 CSA News
Precision agronomists use technology to maximize agricultural production while minimizing its environmental footprint. Specifically, Guarav Jha, assistant professor of precision agriculture at Kansas STate University, and his lab study how soil microbes affect water resiliency on Kansas farms. They stitch massive amounts of data together from drones, satellites, soil health indicators, and other sources to assess exactly how much water an alfalfa, corn, or soybean farmer needs in certain parts of their field without waste.

State/Regional

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. But what if a simple conversation with your doctor could be the key to your heart's health?
3/2/26 Kansas Public Radio
What if a simple conversation with your doctor could be the key to your heart's health? That's the question asked by K-State graduate researcher Sarah Fenn. Maintaining heart‑healthy habits, monitoring blood pressure, and staying active become increasingly important as women age, and discussing any concerns with a healthcare professional can help guide prevention and early detection.

Local

K-State to host free immersive math day for middle schoolers
3/19/26 JC Post
"This event is an opportunity to experience the creativity, problem-solving and real-world applications of mathematics in a welcoming university setting," said Virginia Naibo, professor of mathematics. During sessions, participants will engage in hands-on, math-centered activities and games, including working with networks, solving puzzles, creating and cracking secret messages, and exploring the binary number system.

Fire weather watch issued for Manhattan area
3/19/26 The Manhattan Mercury
"You add into things like the freeze component, where we likely froze some of that wheat, we froze some of those cool season grasses. Those are going to die off," said Chip Redmond, a meteorologist at Kansas State University. "They're going to add dead vegetation to the landscape."