AGP Executive Report

Agriculture & Weather: Kansas crop progress update shows fieldwork conditions still tight and corn/soy/sorghum quality mixed as drought and earlier freezes keep pressure on producers. Farm Policy: The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance a “skinny” Farm Bill, with SNAP cost-sharing disputes stalling Kansas-priority provisions and pushing the full Senate vote to next month. Public Health: KDHE issued blue-green algae advisories for multiple Kansas lakes, adding Lake Shawnee to the Watch list and urging Kansans to avoid contact and keep pets away. Transportation & Infrastructure: KDOT is seeking comments on the draft FFY 2027-2030 STIP, while bridge inspectors assess damage after a semi-truck crane struck the U.S. 69 bridge near La Cygne, closing lanes and 399th Street. Energy & Industry: A Fort Scott printing company is running a large solar-plus-battery setup to cut peak demand charges, and Kansas wheat growers are preparing for a projected smallest winter wheat harvest since the 1950s. Local Business & Growth: A Kansas City-area jewelry brand is expanding manufacturing and retail, adding Macy’s.com Marketplace distribution ahead of the holidays. Workforce & Community Services: DCF awarded $1.1M to strengthen Family Resource Centers across Kansas, aiming to prevent crises and reduce the need for formal system involvement.

Farm Bill Stalls in Senate Ag Committee: Kansas ag leaders are bracing for more delay after the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee failed to move a farm bill forward, with the fight centered on how states would share SNAP costs tied to error rates—leaving Kansas Farmers Union’s Nick Levendofsky worried the “adults in the room” won’t bridge the gap. Kansas City Logistics Shift: Kansas City Council approved rezoning for a Midtown Costco to transition into a business-only wholesale distribution center, with a planned $20M remodel, 25 overnight delivery trucks, and the store closing this fall. Cattle Markets Watch: USDA export data and tight supplies are lifting cattle futures to three-week highs, even as producers still wrestle with processing disruptions and disease concerns. Fuel Prices Snapshot (Kansas): GasBuddy reported the lowest premium at $4.36 in Kingman County (week ending Aug. 1) and diesel lows like $4.59 in Osage County, underscoring how quickly Kansas pump prices can swing with national oil and refinery conditions. Data Center Backlash in Pottawatomie County: A St. George-area Republican primary winner said power and water use concerns drove his opposition to a proposed hyperscale data center, warning local rules can’t fully rein in impacts.

Kansas-Czech Trade Push: Gov. Laura Kelly and Lt. Gov. David Toland announced a Statement of Mutual Cooperation with the Czech Republic, aiming to boost ties in aerospace, agriculture/animal health/biotech, advanced manufacturing, and nanotechnologies. Farm Bill Stalls in Senate: The Senate Agriculture Committee rejected a farm bill in a tight, partisan fight over SNAP cost-sharing, with Democrats pushing for a longer delay tied to state error rates. Grain Rail Milestone: CPKC says it set an all-time record moving 30.66 million metric tonnes of Canadian grain in the 2025-26 crop year, citing new capacity and equipment. Big Science in Lawrence: KU’s team won a $1M DOE EPSCoR award to build next-generation CMS particle detectors for CERN, with fabrication at KU and testing at Fermilab. Local Infrastructure: KDOT plans $2M resurfacing on U.S. 24 in Rooks County starting Aug. 10, with lane reductions and curb/gutter and ramp upgrades. Kansas City Development: The Royals’ Crown Center ballpark district cleared a zoning hurdle at the City Planning Commission, moving to City Council. AI Finance Watch: Federal Reserve officials flagged growing financial risks from the AI data-center buildout, urging vigilance as investment and debt rise. Workforce & Food Aid: USDA-backed Food for Peace shipments include Kansas hard red winter wheat and Louisiana rice headed to hunger emergencies.

Workforce & Compliance: A Kansas judge revived part of a Topeka pet-food false-advertising case against Hill’s Pet Nutrition, keeping alive claims tied to alleged misinformation about grain-free diets and heart disease. Public Health & Food Supply: The U.S. Food for Peace program moved another shipment of American grain toward Kenya, while the broader U.S. cyclospora fallout continues to disrupt lettuce purchases and sales. Insurance & First Responders: Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt launched a HERO Act pilot reimbursement program for first responders seeking PTSD/acute stress disorder treatment, with $1 million set aside. Local Business & Retail: Goodwill Industries of Kansas will open its first downtown Wichita urban store this fall, focusing on clothing with donation drop-off and nearby parking. Fraud Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data shows Wichita leading Kansas cities for June scam reports, with multiple Kansas towns tied for lower counts. Construction & Growth: Gardner’s proposed 335-acre entertainment district would add a 15,000-seat indoor concert venue plus esports, hotels, and a media-focused college. Agriculture Policy: Congress advanced changes to disaster recovery programs for farmers and private forest owners, including larger upfront payments and longer spending timelines.

Housing & Development: Olathe City Council approved a “French Renaissance” townhome project at 133rd and Black Bob with 44 units and 5,000+ sq. ft. of storefront space, aimed at “missing middle” demand but priced near typical single-family homes. Data Centers & Local Control: Emporia commissioners asked a district court to decide if a citizen petition banning high-impact data centers can legally go to voters; Kansas City’s Plan Commission also rejected a 20-story Quality Hill data center plan tied to a historic building. Food Safety & Supply Chains: The cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce is reshaping buying—Sysco says it’s stopping iceberg lettuce from Mexico—while local farmers report a surge in lettuce demand. Biotech & Labs: Topeka’s Link Innovation Labs landed Spore.Bio as its first lab tenant, signaling continued growth in the city’s innovation district. Cybersecurity: Researchers say a China-linked VPN supply-chain attack delivered malware via tampered QuickFox VPN software. Energy & Infrastructure: Black Hills Corp. reported Q2 results and reaffirmed earnings guidance, while Ebbing Air National Guard Base received a $38.9 million contract for a new secure F-35 facility. Agriculture Tech: WinField United agronomist Ryan Wolf says AI could boost agronomic decisions, but warns farmers to use trusted platforms.

Expanded Access for Weight-Loss Drug: Eli Lilly is opening an expanded-access program for retatrutide for eligible, trial-ineligible patients, drawing mixed reactions from obesity clinicians. Kansas Health & Food Safety: The Cyclospora outbreak keeps widening, with officials pointing to shredded iceberg lettuce tied to Taylor Farms and warning consumers and businesses to stay alert. Local Public Health/Community Impact: Salad and Go is closing locations after bankruptcy pressure worsened by Cyclospora-related demand and confidence hits. Kansas Politics: Democrats picked Adam Hamilton to challenge Sen. Roger Marshall, while a judge blocked multiple Kansas abortion provider restrictions before being sworn in to the state Supreme Court. Elections & Local Funding: Kansas voters approved several local sales tax measures, including hospital support in El Dorado and infrastructure funding across other communities. Energy/Finance: Fed’s Kansas City president Jeff Schmid said AI buildout finances deserve close watching for systemic risk. Agriculture Markets: Kansas farmers face heat stress as drought pushes wheat toward historic lows, while ag markets track weather and ethanol policy.

AI Data Centers & Local Politics: Kansas and other communities are seeing backlash as AI-driven data center proposals grow bigger, with some places considering moratoriums or land-use changes; the dispute is now part of the governor’s race conversation. Tech & Connectivity: QTS Data Centers signed a 77,000-square-foot lease for headquarters at Reston Station, keeping operations in Sterling and Overland Park, Kansas. Agriculture Under Pressure: Kansas wheat is sliding toward a historic low as drought and abandonment cut yields, while Kansas dairy farmers report heat stress lowering production. Water & Public Health: KDHE issued a “Do Not Drink” order for a Saline County mobile home park water system due to low chlorine residual and unknown manganese levels. Food Retail & Logistics: World Fresh Market is opening in Kansas City’s Northland with international foods, citing logistics as the main setup challenge. Business Growth: Wichita State created a new industry engagement role in health innovation to build stronger industry ties ahead of a biomedical campus expansion. Energy Watch: Parsons residents are debating a proposed underground nuclear reactor pilot tied to Deep Fission and DOE plans.

Data Centers & Energy Politics: Kansas’ data-center boom is already reshaping the governor’s race, with candidates debating moratoriums and guardrails as communities worry about power demand, land use, and local control. Food Safety & Dairy Impacts: KDHE reported hundreds more cyclosporiasis cases in Kansas, while extreme heat is cutting into dairy production as farmers add fans, shade, and monitoring to protect herds. Local Infrastructure & Water Systems: Coffey County crews continue southbound I-35 bridge deck repairs, and Franklin County’s boil-water advisory was extended due to low chlorine residuals. Supply Chain Tech: Loftware and RiseNow announced a partnership to connect SAP product identification with procurement and compliance, starting with healthcare. Legal & Construction: A Kansas roofing company faces a copyright trial in Wichita over alleged unauthorized use of storm-chaser Reed Timmer’s video. Agriculture Operations: Kansas State University research highlights split suckling and teat optimization strategies aimed at improving piglet colostrum access.

Kansas Infrastructure: KDOT says a mill and overlay on U.S. 56 in Barton and Rice counties starts around Aug. 6, with up to 15-minute delays as traffic shifts to one lane; the $3.5M project runs to late September. State Consumer Watch: Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt released the 2025 annual report, citing $96.5M in cumulative fee reductions since 2019 and $206.6M recovered for Kansans since taking office. Food Safety: A multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce continues to expand; Michigan has reported the first two deaths tied to the illness, while Kansas is among states added to the federal investigation. Elections & Governance: A guide to the 2026 Kansas secretary of state race highlights how candidates would handle ballot rules and election security. Rail & Shipping: Reading & Northern Railroad finalized a $4M purchase of 124 covered hopper railcars to support growing anthracite shipments. Policy & Agriculture: A coalition says a revised farm bill proposal still fails young farmers on land access and nutrition support. Tech & Connectivity: FCC satellite-to-phone plans face interference pushback as Starlink Mobile targets “thousands” of satellites by 2028.

Data Centers & Local Politics: More than 100 Kansans packed a Topeka-area open house for Compass Datacenters, leaving residents frustrated that key answers on impacts still aren’t clear. Rural Governance & Schools: A Kansas judicial selection amendment on the Aug. 4 ballot is drawing alarm from rural advocates, who warn it could reshape school funding and local representation. Food Supply & Safety: Kansas health officials report cyclosporiasis cases continue to climb, with the outbreak tied to lettuce supply-chain fragility and prompting restaurant menu changes. Transportation & Construction: KDOT says US-77 concrete patching in Geary County starts Monday, with lane shifts and temporary signals through bridge work. Agriculture & Community Markets: Kansas City’s City Market marks National Farmers Market Week, highlighting fresh local produce and vendor traditions. Trucking Industry Leadership: Rhode Island trucking executive Chris Maxwell was elected chair of the American Trucking Associations’ Executives Council. Energy/Infrastructure Scrutiny: Hutchinson officials face a familiar debate over whether data centers get the same questions as past heavy industry, as public pressure grows.

Local Agriculture Spotlight: Kansas City’s City Market is marking National Farmers Market Week (Aug. 2–9) with a focus on growers and traditions dating to 1857, touting 150+ vendors and produce harvested the day before or morning of market. Road Construction: KDOT says crews will start concrete patching on US-77 in Geary County Monday, with lane shifts and temporary traffic signals; the $791,000 project runs to February (weather permitting). Rail & Heritage: Abilene and the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad are getting help from steam specialists in Durango, Colorado, as they restore Santa Fe 3415, drawing railfans to the rebuild work. Community & Veterans: The Wall That Heals replica drew veterans and visitors to Brooklyn, where Kansas service members’ names were sought and found on the memorial panels. Sports Business Shockwave: The Dodgers landed Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in a deadline blockbuster, sending three prospects (Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, Brady Smith) to Detroit—another reminder of how quickly Kansas City-area sports attention can swing to MLB’s biggest moves. Kansas Politics & Data Centers: A Hutchinson debate over data centers and BESS continues to pit growth and jobs against public concerns over water and long-term impacts.

MLB Trade Shock: The Dodgers landed two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Tigers in a deadline blockbuster, sending Zyhir Hope and pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith to Detroit—an immediate boost to Los Angeles’ already stacked rotation. Kansas Energy & Industry: Deep Fission says its underground nuclear reactor project in Parsons missed a July 4 criticality goal, but is now focused on proof-of-concept well testing and commercialization steps, including a prototype canister arrival. Severe Weather Tech: Western Cooperative Electric awarded STEM Harvest a $2,500 grant for the Hays Community Radar Project, aiming to close radar coverage gaps for western Kansas with a Furuno Doppler system. Food Safety Pressure: Health officials are investigating major outbreaks tied to egg and lettuce recalls, with Kansas among states reporting cyclosporiasis cases as growers face plow-up losses and retailers warn shoppers to check products. Local Governance & Data Centers: Ottawa residents are pushing a ballot fight over a planned 300-acre tech campus, data center, and gas plant, seeking a cap on large data centers unless voters approve. Grid Skills Spotlight: OG&E linemen competed in the 35th annual Linemen’s Expo, highlighting safety training and skills as utilities add automation and federal support.

Data Center Fight in Ottawa: Ottawa residents are pushing a ballot petition to block a planned 300-acre development that could include data centers and a gas plant, with a proposed ordinance limiting data centers over 25 megawatts. Local Infrastructure & Growth: Lawrence leaders are weighing westward expansion and the price tag for new infrastructure, with a coming Costco store seen as part of the funding puzzle. Weather Tech for Western Kansas: Western Cooperative Electric awarded a $2,500 grant to the Hays Community Radar Project to improve severe-storm detection for multiple counties. Kansas Construction Updates: Repaving is underway on five Longview-area roads, with lane closures and about six weeks of work. Food & Pet Industry Watch: A federal appeals court revived part of a lawsuit accusing Hill’s Pet Nutrition of false advertising tied to grain-free pet food health claims. Cybersecurity & Finance: Bitcoin’s worst month on record is tied to a Coldcard hardware wallet exploit that reportedly drained $38M from about 500 wallets. Sports Business: ZSolTech launched unified jewelry management software aimed at retail and manufacturing, including live gold pricing and multi-branch stock tracking.

Road & Transit: Repaving is underway for about six weeks on five Longview-area streets in Lawrence, with alternating single-lane traffic and daily lane openings by 7 p.m. Infrastructure Planning: KDOT is prepping bridge replacements in Rush County along K-4, with temporary detours starting the week of Aug. 3 and road reopenings targeted by summer 2027. Public Health & Water: KDHE issued a boil water advisory for Franklin County RWD 2, RWD 3 and the City of Princeton after chlorine residuals fell below required levels. Food & Agriculture: Kansas continues to see Cyclospora spread, with local farms and restaurants reporting shifting demand as shoppers adjust. Housing & Policy: A rare bipartisan housing bill became law, but affordability pressures remain. Courts & Consumer Protection: A federal appeals court revived part of a lawsuit accusing Hill’s Pet Nutrition of false advertising tied to grain-free pet food health claims. Local Business & Community: Casey’s is pushing its Cash for Classrooms campaign to raise $1.4 million for K-12 schools and nonprofits in its operating communities.

Kansas Food Culture: A new feature spotlights the bierock—Kansas’ German-Russian comfort-food staple of beef, cabbage and onions baked in a soft yeast roll—showing how a local tradition stays under the national radar. Education Growth: Mathnasium says it signed 60 franchise agreements and opened 40 centers in the first half of 2026, betting on continued demand for personalized math tutoring. Public Safety & Infrastructure: The FBI and EPA warn that hackers are targeting internet-exposed water utility control systems, with reported operational impacts in at least seven states. Agribusiness & Land Values: USDA’s land values report pegs Kansas cropland at about $3,540 per acre, up 2.9%, as pasture values keep climbing. Local Business & Community: Casey’s Cash for Classrooms campaign aims to raise $1.4M for K-12 schools and nonprofits in its footprint. Weather Tech in Western Kansas: Western Cooperative Electric awards STEM Harvest a $2,500 grant to expand a Hays-area community radar project. Road Work: KDOT will start bridge replacement prep on K-4 in Rush County the week of Aug. 3, with detours beginning in November. Health & Water: KDHE rescinded a boil water advisory for part of Pottawatomie County after a waterline break, while another Delia advisory remains pending results.

Food Safety & Local Industry: McPherson firefighters evacuated workers after a roof fire at Wald Family Foods; flames were traced to an oven on a production line and brought under control in about 20 minutes. Public Health: KDHE says Kansas cyclosporiasis cases jumped to 461, with 8 in Barton County, tied to the national outbreak linked to Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce; officials warn reporting can lag. Ag & Manufacturing: Kansas State University is testing a new durum wheat variety aimed at boosting semolina for pasta, offering farmers a potential path back into wheat markets. Energy & Climate Tech: PureField Ingredients opened a Russell carbon capture and sequestration facility (150,000 tonnes/year) and announced plans to double ethanol production. Logistics & Infrastructure: Ottawa residents are pushing a ballot petition to block future data center development at Proximity Park, citing pollution concerns. Workforce & Policy: The U.S. Senate advanced a Serco executive to lead TSA as the administration moves toward privatizing airport security at smaller airports. Sports & Community: Kansas’ first sanctioned girls flag football season is set to kick off, with Olathe coaches reporting strong early turnout.