June 2026
K-State in the news
Some of the top stories mentioning Kansas State University are posted below. Download an Excel file (xlsx) with all of this month's news stories.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
National/International
What to Do If You Find a Wasp Nest on Your Home, According to Pest Experts
6/11/26 Better Homes & Gardens
“If we're talking about yellowjackets and hornets, you just don't want to fool with them,” adds Raymond Cloyd of Kansas State University. “If you're a homeowner and you encounter wasps in your home, it may indicate that they’ve established a nest, and you should call a professional. You don’t want to run the risk of getting stung.”
Alana Wood named 2026 Paul Thomas Intern of the Year
6/10/26 The Produce News
The 2026 recipient is Alana Wood, a student at Kansas State University majoring in horticulture production. Outstanding interns are also recognized as honorable mentions. The 2026 honorable mentions are Lemuel Dill and Parker Carlson. Lemuel is also a student at Kansas State University, majoring in horticulture production.
Local
Kansas continues response plan for invasive pest
6/4/26 WIBW
Cassandra Olds, an assistant professor of veterinary entomology at Kansas State University, explained the unusual strategy called the sterile fly program. “If you mate a wild female with a sterile male, she thinks she’s mated and lay eggs, but those eggs are sterile and it doesn’t occur to her to mate with anybody else,” Olds said.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
National/International
General Richard B. Myers, 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joins With Honor Action Advisory Board Amid Surge in Military Veterans Running for Office Nationwide
06/09/26 Associated Press
After leaving uniform, he held the Colin L. Powell Chair for National Security, Leadership, Character and Ethics at the National Defense University and served as the 14th president of Kansas State University, his alma mater, from 2016 to 2022.
State/Regional
Can your damaged tree be saved after Kansas storms? Here’s what experts say
06/09/26 Wichita Eagle
Whether you experienced minor or severe tree damage, Kansas State University extension agents have advice for how to safely clean up, evaluate and care for your trees.
Businesses excited to showcase Kansas City flavors at FanFest
06/02/26 KCTV
Another local vendor is Blended Vibes Catering. Owners Larry and Joleen Fennell started their business in 2023 and currently operate in a kitchen space at K-State Olathe.
Local
Gardening also provides food safety lesson for children
06/09/26 Manhattan Mercury
Karen Blakeslee, coordinator of K-State’s Rapid Response Center for Food Science, said young gardeners often become excited about growing fruits and vegetables but may not realize the importance of handling produce safely before eating it.
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
National/International
Deadly Screwworm Pest Spreads With Three New Cases
06/08/26 Bloomberg
Glynn Tonsor, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, weighs in on the appearance of the Screwworm and it's impacts.
Simple Changes Make The Difference In Cooling Off Cattle
06/08/26 Global Agriculture
Cattle incapable of relieving themselves of high temperatures experience heat stress. Humans alleviate overheating through sweating, but Kansas State University beef extension veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff said cattle do not have that option.
States Where People Overspend the Most on Car Loans
06/03/26 Wallet Hub
Frank G. Cabano, assistant professor of marketing at Kansas State University's College of Business Administration, offers tips for consumers looking to buy a car without straining their finances.
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."
Friday, June 5, 2026
National/International
Detection at the nanoscale: A phosphate-detecting electrochemical sensor
6/4/26 Phys.org
Graphene, the "wonder material," has shaped much of Suprem Das's research career. From nano-manufacturing to advanced printing for applications such as sensing and energy, Das is committed to finding graphene solutions with real-world impact. Das and his team manufacture graphene in the form of printable ink for various applications.
State/Regional
What is the screwworm and should Kansas ranchers be concerned?
6/4/26 KSN
“Because the USDA has such an aggressive management strategy in place, that helps to soften the blow of just one case showing up,” said Todd Gunderson, a clinical assistant professor of beef production medicine at Kansas State University.
The Screwworm Battle Begins on U.S. Soil: Now What?
6/4/26 AgWeb
Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University professor of agricultural economics, stresses, “First and foremost, I don’t anticipate a beef demand challenge from it. There’s no reason to believe a consumer should be concerned.”
Thursday, June 4, 2026
National/International
Nebraska stakes out new ground on farm data ownership as other states weigh broader measures
6/3/26 AgriPulse
Kansas State University economist Terry Griffin told Agri-Pulse that data doesn’t generally “play well” within the legal concept of private ownership under British common law, a predecessor to much of the U.S.’s legal tradition. He said he’s pointed out in past discussions with farmers that data’s characteristics tend to fit more closely with the idea of a “public good” than a “private good,” though he added that’s generally been an unpopular message.
“A lot of farmers would say, ‘I don’t care what you say, I own my data,’” Griffin said. But he added, “It’s not like owning grain or livestock or a pencil or land. It’s got very different characteristics than those physical goods.”
Local
Stormont Vail Health, PrairieLINK Awarded KDHE Grant to Advance Rural Health Transformation
6/3/26 JC Post
The funding will support the continued development of the PrairieLINK Health Alliance of Kansas, a collaborative regional effort focused on strengthening access, coordination, and long-term sustainability of rural healthcare services. PrairieLINK is a partnership among Stormont Vail Health Flint Hills Campus and rural clinics, Morris County Hospital and rural clinics, Community HealthCare System and rural clinics, F.W. Huston Medical Center and rural clinic, Midland Care Connection, and Kansas State University. Together, these organizations represent a diverse network of critical access hospitals, rural providers, community-based organizations, and academic leaders working to improve care delivery and health outcomes across a multi-county region.
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
National/International
University Trends in Plant Intellectual Property Protection
TechPipeline
At Kansas State University (K-State), the focus of the plant breeding program for wheat — a sexually propagated crop — means that plant patents are not the primary tool. Instead, K-State relies primarily on PVP certificates, which allow farmers to save seed for replanting while protecting against unauthorized commercial use. Chris Brandt, Associate Vice President for Research at the Kansas State University Research Foundation, explained the institution’s philosophy.
State/Regional
Kansas wheat farmers face up to 20% yield loss amid drought, freezes
06/2/26 KWCH
One expert at Kansas State University said the worst areas include parts of central and southwest Kansas. Some communities are weeks ahead of when they typically harvest.
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
National/International
How data and AI help reshape water policy in the agricultural heartland
06/02/26 SAS
Producing nearly a quarter of America’s wheat supply, along with significant quantities of corn, soybeans, sorghum and sunflowers, Kansas remains a critical contributor to feeding the nation and the world. Livestock is also a major driver of the economy – and it depends on water for everything from pasture and forage to animal health and processing. The Kansas Department of Agriculture estimates beef cattle ranching and farming account for about $13.5 billion in the Kansas economy. These realities raise the stakes for water policy decisions about how limited supplies are managed and how water quality is protected. This is the work at the heart of the Kansas Water Institute (KWI) at Kansas State University: turning science and data into trusted insights that help sustain the state’s water resources for current and future generations.
A new project aims to bring more AI literacy to rural Ohio
06/02/26 WYSO-FM
For years, there’s been a push to create better broadband infrastructure in rural areas, where access to high speed internet can be hard to come by. Wright State University, in partnership with Kansas State Extension, is tackling a new digital frontier: artificial intelligence. The university received $2.5 million in grant money from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education to develop an AI curriculum for rural educators at Ohio and Kansas high schools and colleges.
State/Regional
Hutch Community Foundation launches nonprofit training series
06/1/26 Hutch Post
The Hutchinson Community Foundation is launching a series of workshops aimed at helping Reno County nonprofits strengthen leadership skills, improve organizational capacity and increase their chances of securing grant funding. One of the first workshops in the series will focus on "All Things Kansas," a public data portal developed through Kansas State University. The resource allows nonprofits to access detailed local information that can strengthen grant applications.
California company establishes partnership with K-State to advance aerospace training
06/01/26 KSN-TV
Spencer Schrader, director of applied aviation research lab at K-State Salina, joined KSN News to talk about a partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and what it means for students.
Monday, June 1, 2026
State/Regional
Schroeder receives prestigious Amethyst Award for lifetime of service and contributions to K-State
5/29/26 The Fence Post
Ted Schroeder’s tenure at Kansas State University spans 40 years, and throughout his lifetime of service, he has contributed significantly to advancing the university’s mission. Now, the university distinguished professor of agricultural economics is the recipient of the Amethyst Award, K-State’s most prestigious award.
Kansas ag leaders weigh solutions for veterinarian shortages that affect rural communities
5/31/26 Wichita Eagle
Kansas State University officials are supporting programs that introduce veterinary students to rural lifestyles and gathering data to understand where shortages exist, said Brad White, director of K-State’s Beef Cattle Institute and director of the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas.