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, April 13, 2026

National/International

Artemis II is a giant leap for farming too
4/10/2026 FarmProgress
Even though it's the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, much focus of NASA's mission has been, and continues to be, our planet. Today, NASA's Acres Farm Innovation Ambassador Team (FIAT) is conducting field experiments and pilot projects to refine the agency's tools for use in real-world agriculture here on Earth. Two Kansas farmers, Dwane Roth and Ray Flickner, are part of the FIAT Program Steering Committee. In fact, the first FIAT site launched was the Flickner Innovation Farm, a partnership between NASA and Kansas State University to develop practical tools that can monitor soybean quality.

State/Regional

From the ground up
4/11/2026 Hutch Post
For Chelsy Champlin, teaching agriculture in rural Kansas is not a steppingstone — it is a calling. Champlin has built her 13-year teaching career in small rural schools across southeast Kansas following her graduation from Kansas State University's agricultural education program. She is a passionate educator who believes in her rural students and the communities they call home. Now in the third year of the online master's program in agricultural education at K-State, she continues to seek new ways to inspire the next generation and deliver impactful lessons. With innovative classroom programming and hands-on learning, Champlin is growing agricultural education in rural communities from the ground up, spreading her passion for agriculture to students who are in the perfect place to experience its powerful effects.

Research at K-State is helping Kansans save water
4/12/2026 KSNT
K-State researchers are taking a high-tech approach to help farmers save water and boost crop yields. Precision irrigation, a system designed to give crops exactly the water they need, is a high-tech response to a very real problem. The Ogallala Aquifer—the water source for much of western Kansas agriculture—is slowly declining. For many farmers, it’s only a matter of time before their waterlines dry up. "This aquifer is depleting at a very high rate…. We are losing our water and our resources at a very drastic level," said Gaurav Jha, Assistant Professor of Precision Agriculture. At K-State, researchers are turning the urgency into innovation, combining satellite data and field sensors to take the guesswork out of irrigation.

Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
4/11/2026 Midwest Messenger
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."

Local

Flash drought risk growing as heat, wind outpace rainfall
4/10/2026 The Mercury
Unseasonably warm temperatures are accelerating drought concerns across the region, according to Kansas State University meteorologist Chip Redmond. … Soil moisture conditions in Manhattan, measured by the Kansas Mesonet are drier than they had been before precipitation that fell last week. Redmond said that pattern is exposing the region to a phenomenon called flash drought — a rapid-onset, intensely developing drought that intensifies over weeks rather than seasons. It's brought on by below-average precipitation combined with high temperatures, high winds, and low humidity.