AGP Executive Report

Transportation Funding: Gov. Laura Kelly and KDOT announced $37.2M in federal Transportation Alternatives grants for 33 Kansas projects, targeting safer walking and biking, Safe Routes to School, trail conversions, and historic transportation upgrades. Beef Industry Reshuffle: Tyson’s restructuring is centering U.S. beef around three sites—Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas—after closures tied to a historic cattle shortage, with ripple effects for producers and jobs. Rail Competition: Shippers and railroads asked the Surface Transportation Board to deny the latest UP–NS merger filing, warning that consolidation could hurt competition and service for agricultural shippers. Housing & Construction Standards: Nebraska’s LB888 (with Kansas Sen. Jared Storm voting yes) would raise and restructure penalties for modular and manufactured housing violations—an issue that could influence regional compliance expectations. Tech & Connectivity: Starlink’s gigabit gateway upgrade faces an FCC fight as Iridium warns of radio interference risks. Local Public Safety: Wichita police arrested 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive at a home tied to dangerous drug sales; investigators also responded to a deadly Wichita house fire. Community & Workforce: Kansas Commerce is promoting an Aug. 27 virtual statewide job fair via KANSASWORKS, while K-State’s Cow Camp (Sept. 9–10 in Hays) offers hands-on beef management training.

Beef Industry Reshuffle: Tyson Foods says it’s concentrating U.S. beef processing around three core sites—Holcomb, Kansas, plus Dakota City, Nebraska and Amarillo, Texas—while ending operations at its Joslin, Illinois plant and Eagle Mountain, Utah case-ready facility, and pursuing a sale of its Pasco, Washington facility as a historic cattle shortage keeps slaughter-ready supplies tight. Local Infrastructure: Keats (near Manhattan) broke ground on a $5.06 million sanitary sewer project to replace failing septic systems with a gravity collection network, lift station, and lagoon-based treatment facility. Workforce & Training: K-State Research and Extension is set to host a two-day Cow Camp Sept. 9–10 in Hays, with hands-on sessions on herd health, vaccine handling, neonatal calf care, reproduction, finance, prescribed burning, and fly/tick control. Energy Costs Watch: GasBuddy reports Kansas regular gas averaging $3.70 for the week ending Aug. 8, with several counties seeing single-station lows. Public Safety: Wichita police arrested 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive at a home tied to dangerous drug distribution; authorities also continue investigating a deadly Wichita house fire and a Cowley County hit-and-run. Environment & Land Use: Great Bend-area county leaders discussed a Kansas Natural Resource Coalition ballot request tied to defending Endangered Species Act “harm” rule changes in federal court.

Medicaid & Health Policy: Kansas Sen. George Dungan backed LB958, reshaping Medicaid waiver rules, prenatal care provisions, and limits on certain energy assistance payments. Courts & Local Funding: Sen. Jared Storm voted yes on LB852, letting counties recapture Convention Center Support Fund money if recipients move their main operations out of designated areas. Energy & Fuel Prices: GasBuddy reports show spotty but low midgrade and diesel pricing across parts of Kansas, with Greenwood County midgrade hitting $4.09 and Cloud County diesel at $4.59 for the week ending Aug. 8. Agriculture & Drought: Barton Ag instructor Dr. Vic Martin says drought is worsening in southwest and south-central Kansas, stressing weed control and moisture-saving planning for the 2027 wheat crop. Livestock Training: K-State Extension is set to host a two-day Cow Camp Sept. 9–10 in Hays, covering beef nutrition, vaccine handling, calf care, reproduction, and fly/tick control. Public Safety: Wichita police and the Sedgwick County DA charged 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to dangerous drug sales.

Housing Finance: Kansas Housing Resources Corp. awarded $3.4M in tax credits for two Hutchinson apartment projects totaling 84 units, a boost toward Reno County’s goal of adding 1,000+ homes by 2035. Agribusiness & Training: K-State will host a two-day Cow Camp Sept. 9–10 in Hays, with hands-on sessions on herd health, vaccines, calf care, reproduction, finance, prescribed burning, and fly/tick control. Beef Supply Chain: Tyson Foods is shutting down or selling three beef facilities (Illinois, Utah, and seeking a buyer in Washington) as a deep cattle shortage squeezes margins and pushes consolidation. Energy & Roads: KDOT plans a $2M resurfacing project on U.S. 24 in Stockton starting Aug. 10 week, with lane reductions and sidewalk ramp work. Food Waste & Soil Health: Douglas County’s Food Policy Council is urging updates to regional solid waste plans to expand composting and organic diversion as landfill demand grows. Public Safety: Wichita police arrested a mother after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to drug sales; authorities also investigated a deadly Wichita house fire.

Agriculture & Livestock: Tyson Foods says it’s shutting down or selling three beef facilities as a historic U.S. cattle shortage squeezes supply and margins, with closures tied to Joslin, Illinois, and Eagle Mountain, Utah, plus a sale process for Pasco, Washington—moves that are already rattling cattle markets. Beef Education: K-State Research and Extension is gearing up for a two-day Cow Camp Sept. 9–10 in Hays, with hands-on sessions on herd health, calf care, reproduction, finance, and fly/tick control. Local Governance & Environment: Barton County commissioners discussed Kansas Natural Resource Coalition ballot questions on joining federal litigation over Endangered Species Act “harm” rule changes, with landowner impacts a central concern. Public Safety: Wichita police and the Sedgwick County DA charged 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to dangerous drug sales; she’s held on a $300,000 bond. Community & Infrastructure: Hoisington and KDOT plan Green and Vine Street work on U.S. 24/K-4 routes starting around Aug. 17, with lane shifts and sidewalk closures. Consumer Protection: Kansas AG Kris Kobach warns residents about unregistered roofers and storm-chaser tactics after new rules make Assignment of Benefits agreements illegal as of July 1, 2026.

Data Center Backlash: El Dorado residents and a Protect Kansas coalition are pushing a court fight over a proposed large data center, with a judge set to rule Aug. 21 after a petition drew 700+ signatures. Beef Industry Shake-Up: Tyson Foods is restructuring amid a historic U.S. cattle shortage, closing or selling multiple beef facilities and anchoring operations around key sites including Holcomb, Kansas. Agriculture & Drought: Kansas producers are bracing for worsening conditions as drought persists, while K-State is inviting growers to hands-on Western Kansas field days and a Sept. 9–10 Cow Camp in Hays focused on practical herd and farm management. Local Infrastructure: KDOT plans a $2M U.S. 24 resurfacing project in Stockton starting Aug. 10, with lane reductions and sidewalk closures during work. Public Safety: Wichita authorities arrested 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to drug sales; separate investigations continue after fatal crashes in Cowley and Sheridan counties.

Beef Restructuring: Tyson Foods says it will close its Joslin, Illinois harvest plant and a Utah case-ready facility, and pursue a sale of its Pasco, Washington plant, citing a historic U.S. cattle shortage and consolidating beef packing around Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas. Local Roads & Construction: In Lawrence, Wakarusa Drive traffic is set to be shut in phases for about six months as crews expand the South Lawrence Trafficway; in Stockton, KDOT plans a U.S. 24 resurfacing project starting Aug. 10 with lane reductions and sidewalk ramp work. Ag Education: K-State Research and Extension will host a two-day Cow Camp Sept. 9–10 in Hays covering nutrition, calf care, reproduction, finance, and fly/tick control. Civic & Environment: Barton County commissioners discussed ballot questions on whether to let the Kansas Natural Resource Coalition join federal litigation over Endangered Species Act “harm” rule changes. Public Safety: Wichita police arrested 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to dangerous drug distribution; authorities also investigated a deadly Wichita house fire that killed a 61-year-old man and his wife.

Beef Restructuring: Tyson Foods says it’s ending operations at its Joslin, Illinois beef plant and its Eagle Mountain, Utah case-ready facility, while shifting production to Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas—and it’s also seeking a buyer for its Pasco, Washington site as a “historic” cattle shortage squeezes supply. Local Housing & Development: Hays City Commission is set to vote on incentives for housing developers, including a plan to renovate historic Lincoln School into a 26-unit apartment complex. Energy & Innovation: Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals is pitching “hydrogen from rocks” after a Columbia University tech breakthrough, aiming to produce hydrogen at far lower cost than green hydrogen. Agriculture & Risk: K-State Research and Extension is inviting producers to 2026 Western Kansas field days (Aug. 25–27) and is also running a Sept. 9–10 Cow Camp in Hays focused on practical beef management. Public Safety: Wichita police arrested 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to dangerous drug sales; authorities are also investigating a deadly Wichita house fire that killed a 61-year-old man and his wife. Infrastructure: KDOT plans a $2M resurfacing project on U.S. 24 in Stockton starting the week of Aug. 10, with lane reductions and sidewalk ramp work.

Tyson Foods Shake-Up: Tyson says it will close or sell three beef sites—Joslin, Illinois; Eagle Mountain, Utah; and pursue a sale of Pasco, Washington—while anchoring its beef network around Holcomb, Kansas, plus Nebraska and Texas, as the company faces steep beef losses tied to the U.S. cattle shortage. Kansas Storm Recovery: Gov. Laura Kelly asked FEMA for a major presidential disaster declaration for June 18-30 severe storms across many Kansas counties, seeking Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation funding to speed infrastructure repairs. Public Health Watch: KDHE reports Kansas cyclosporiasis cases have climbed to 748, with 32 hospitalizations, and health officials are interviewing cases to find shared exposures. Local Governance & Growth: Leavenworth County is revisiting its approach to a proposed Tonganoxie-area data center after residents pushed back and a moratorium extension failed, setting up another round of decisions. Agriculture & Training: K-State will host a Sept. 9-10 Cow Camp in Hays with hands-on beef management sessions, from herd health to fly/tick control. Infrastructure: The Kansas Turnpike Authority plans $221M in I-70 projects near Kansas City and will raise tolls starting Sept. 1, 2026.

Manufacturing Expansion: Five Rivers Manufacturing expanded its Corning, Ark., headquarters to produce G&H Decoys alongside three Kansas-founded brands it acquired in 2025, signaling continued growth in the outdoor and waterfowl supply chain. Food & Labor: Cargill Meat Solutions workers at the Fort Morgan plant are pushing for another contract vote after rejecting an offer, keeping pressure on one of the nation’s biggest meat processors. Public Safety: Wichita investigators arrested 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to suspected drug sales; authorities also continue probing a separate deadly Wichita house fire that killed a 61-year-old man and his wife. Agriculture & Risk: K-State Research and Extension announced 2026 Western Kansas field days and a Sept. 9–10 Cow Camp in Hays focused on practical beef management, while Kansas drought conditions remain a concern for producers. Local Infrastructure: KDOT plans U.S. 24 resurfacing in Stockton starting Aug. 10, with lane reductions and sidewalk closures during the roughly $2 million project. Space & Education: The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson hosted Artemis II astronauts and NASA leadership, highlighting STEM career inspiration for Kansas students.

Public Safety: Wichita police arrested 26-year-old Brandy Glover after a 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a home tied to suspected drug sales; the child remains in critical condition and two other children were taken into protective custody. Local Infrastructure: KDOT is set to resurface U.S. 24 in Stockton next week, with curb-and-gutter work and sidewalk ramp upgrades through early December. Energy & Weather: Kansas utilities are watching heavy August air-conditioning demand as heat strains regional grids, with officials saying supply is holding. Agriculture & Research: K-State Extension is gearing up for Western Kansas field days (Aug. 25–27) and a Sept. 9–10 Cow Camp in Hays focused on practical beef cattle management. Housing & Community Growth: Kansas City, Kansas approved a land sale to support a new fire station near the future Chiefs stadium area. Consumer & Fraud: Kansas joins a $15.5M settlement with mortgage servicer NewRez over improper force-placed insurance charges, while FTC checks are going out to Grubhub users hit by junk-fee practices. Environment & Land Use: Barton County commissioners discussed ballot questions tied to Kansas Natural Resource Coalition participation in federal litigation over Endangered Species Act “harm” definitions.

Kansas Agriculture & Rural Leadership: A Kansas class wrapped an international study tour in Brazil, comparing rural and farm challenges like labor, weather, and logistics—and underscoring how critical infrastructure is for producers. Beef Industry Training: K-State Research and Extension announced a two-day Cow Camp Sept. 9–10 in Hays, with hands-on sessions on herd health, calf care, reproduction, finance, and pest control. Farm Policy: Kansas Farmers Union leader Nick Levendofsky said the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee’s failure to move the farm bill forward threatens passage this year, tied to SNAP-related budget cuts and tight voting margins. Higher Ed Costs: Kansas Board of Regents officials warned deferred maintenance is a “ticking time bomb,” with some universities clearing $123M by tearing down and rebuilding. School Safety Law: Kansas drivers face a new handheld phone ban in school zones during posted active hours. Local Infrastructure: KDOT plans U.S. 24 resurfacing in Stockton starting Aug. 10, with lane reductions and sidewalk ramp work. Public Safety: Wichita crews investigated a deadly house fire on Savannah Street that killed a 61-year-old man and his wife. Weather & Drought: Kansas drought conditions remain mostly moderate with hotter, drier odds in the coming forecast, raising pressure on managed farm ecosystems.

Kansas Agriculture & Research: K-State is inviting producers to the 2026 Western Kansas Research-Extension Centers field days Aug. 25–27 in Garden City, Hays and Tribune, highlighting locally tested work built for drought, hail and shifting markets. Beef & Livestock Training: K-State Research and Extension will host a two-day Cow Camp Sept. 9–10 in Hays, with hands-on sessions on herd health, calf care, reproduction, finance and fly/tick control. Wheat Disease Management: A new K-State Extension update continues the wheat streak mosaic series, focusing on variety selection as part of integrated control to reduce future outbreaks. Broadband Expansion: IdeaTek Telcom plans to acquire Wave Wireless, expanding fiber and fixed wireless service across southeast Kansas, with a goal to bring Wave customers IdeaTek’s 1-gig symmetrical service. Education & Community: Pittsburg State University opened the Kelce College of Business building and a renovated Besse Hotel downtown, while Kiewit is putting $1 million into SchoolSmartKC’s Literacy for All initiative. Energy & Infrastructure: KDOT is set to resurface U.S. 24 in Stockton starting the week of Aug. 10, with lane reductions and sidewalk ramp work. Public Safety: Wichita police are investigating a deadly house fire that killed a 61-year-old man and his wife, and Kansas Highway Patrol reported a serious Sheridan County crash involving a pickup and semi. Science Spotlight: A KU physicist helped lead CERN research that distinguishes competing explanations for how gluons behave inside atomic nuclei.

Agriculture & Water Stress: Kansas drought conditions are holding steady but worsening in southwest and south central areas, with forecasts pointing to hotter-than-normal weather and only a modest chance of rain—raising pressure on crops and weed management. Farm Policy: Kansas Farmers Union leader Nick Levendofsky says the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee’s failure to move the farm bill forward likely means no farm bill this year, with SNAP-related budget cuts driving division. Crop Disease Watch: K-State Extension continues its wheat streak mosaic guidance, focusing on variety selection as part of an integrated plan to reduce future outbreaks driven by volunteer wheat and wheat curl mites. Livestock Handling Tech: McCarty Family Farms hosted the Humane Handling Institute at all three Kansas locations, using hands-on training and AR “cattle vision” goggles to improve humane handling and facility design. Road & Construction: KDOT plans a $2M resurfacing project on U.S. 24 in Stockton, with lane shifts and sidewalk ramp work starting the week of Aug. 10. Local Government: Hays city commissioners reviewed the draft 2027 budget, keeping operations steady while adjusting for employee pay and cost-of-living changes. Public Safety & Health: Wichita opened free cooling centers and added Wichita Transit vouchers to help riders reach them during extreme heat. Pharma Accountability: Kansas AG Ford joined a coalition announcing a $400M settlement in principle with Sandoz over alleged generic drug price-inflation and reduced competition.

Workforce & Training: Washburn University Institute of Technology opened a new North Topeka campus in a former Kmart, adding a manufacturing training center aimed at boosting Kansas technical talent. Agriculture Policy: Kansas Farmers Union leader Nick Levendofsky says the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee’s failure to move the farm bill forward threatens passage this year, with SNAP-related cuts driving division. Drought & Crop Risk: Barton County’s drought outlook shows moderate drought expanding, with hotter-than-normal forecasts and only a chance of precipitation—raising pressure on wheat and other fieldwork. Beef Value-Add: A Kansas State University/Merck analysis of 860,000 calves points to preconditioning as a clear sale-ring premium driver, helping calves arrive with documented health histories. Livestock Handling Tech: Humane Handling Institute training visits Kansas dairy sites, using augmented-reality “Cattle Vision” goggles to improve humane handling and facility design. Public Safety & Local Infrastructure: KDOT plans a $2M U.S. 24 resurfacing in Stockton starting Aug. 10, while a Wabaunsee County ATV accident killed a man during weed spraying. Logistics Automation: FedEx and Amazon are expanding robotic arms and autonomous loading to reduce physically demanding dock work.

Ag & Food Policy: Kansas farm bill momentum took a hit after the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee failed to move the bill forward, with advocates warning SNAP-related cost changes and tight voting margins could delay action again. Drought Watch: Barton County and much of southwest/south central Kansas remain in moderate drought, with forecasts leaning hotter and only a modest chance of precipitation. Livestock Training: McCarty Family Farms hosted the Humane Handling Institute for hands-on dairy handling education, including AR “Cattle Vision” goggles to help staff understand cow perspectives and test facility tweaks. Construction & Roads: KDOT plans a $2M U.S. 24 resurfacing in Stockton starting Aug. 10, plus curb-and-gutter and sidewalk ramp upgrades. Local Government: Hays commissioners reviewed the draft 2027 budget and set the maximum levy authority, while Abilene outlined street improvement phases through 2026. Energy/Environment: KDHE issued blue-green algae warnings for multiple Kansas lakes, including Lake Shawnee. Business/Tech: Ranchbot closed a Series B raising over $15M and set up a Delaware holding company to speed global growth. Kansas Industry Spotlight: A Silver Lake home build showcased deep material reuse, including reclaimed steel and even a wind turbine tower section.