Kansas

Insight Kansas — Farm finances

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

Press Room

Jackie Mundt

By JACKIE MUNDT
Pratt County farmer and rancher

There was a line in one of those corny comedy/action-adventure movies that made me roll my eyes recently. A character asked, “What’s in Kansas?” about their inability to understand why a mutual friend moved to Kansas. That’s not the line that made me roll my eyes. I am a transplant myself and know from experience that Kansas doesn’t seem very exciting until you see what makes it such a wonderful place to live.

The line I am still thinking about was the response, “she married a rich rancher.” The insinuation that the only thing making Kansas attractive to a highly affluent, college educated woman is lots of money, makes me little concerned about how many people think all ranchers and farmers are rich.

Since Tax Day is this week, I thought it would be appropriate to dive into how much money farmers make and why people have so many misconceptions about the topic.

In my opinion, several culprits create mystery around farm income levels. The first is non-farm people. I find it humorous to watch an outsider ask a farmer how many acres or cows they have. Some farmers see that as asking point-blank, “What’s your salary?” The poor outsider is probably just trying to show interest and wouldn’t have a clue if 500 or 5,000 acres was normal, let alone have any insight on the value of a cow.

Farmers also contribute to the problem. Growing up, my parents had off-farm jobs, so I never really thought about if our dairy made money. In college, I meet farm kids who somewhat proudly talked about getting Pell grants because their parents had a low income or at least had a low taxable income. I never liked that attitude and was glad to meet other farmers who were content to pay taxes because that meant their business was successful and they were being productive members of society.

Legislators and estate taxes are also part of the misunderstanding. Farming is incredibly capital intensive; high land and equipment prices make it really difficult to get started if you don’t inherit family assets. Politicians regularly point to a lower threshold for estate taxes as a way to tax the rich. The reality for farmers and many family businesses is that property and equipment quickly add up to large figures.

Those dollar signs aren’t the same as cash. They represent the tractor and field used to plant a crop. Most family farms would have to sell land and equipment to pay estate taxes if the threshold were lowered. Unless a farmer sells out, they will never see the kind of money in cash that makes people think they are rich.

Farmers deal with bigger numbers than other people. They may bring in $1 million in a great year and $100,000 the next – before expenses. After paying for seed, fertilizer, machinery, fuel, rent and other business costs, a farmer may make six figures or lose money for the year.

Farmers have tremendous amounts of money invested in equipment, inputs and land. Their risk level is high; they make many decisions without knowing if the weather or market at harvest will cover the costs they’ve already incurred. All farmers experience bad years. Sometimes they event put a farmer out of business. The stress and uncertainty of trying to keep the farm alive for the next generation is often cause of mental health issues.

Judging a farmers’ income is complicated and difficult because there are too many factors; rich or poor, materialistic or humble, heavily leveraged or paid in cash. My experience is that farmers’ finances may look different than the average American, but we really aren’t that different at all.

“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

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Kansas

Chiefs Name Burns & McDonnell as Owner’s Representative for New Practice Facility and Headquarters in Olathe

Published

22 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

Chiefs Name Burns & McDonnell as Owner’s Representative for New Practice Facility and Headquarters in Olathe

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs made their first major announcement for the club’s future day-to-day home, naming Kansas City-based Burns & McDonnell as owner’s representative for the team’s practice facility and headquarters project in Olathe, Kansas.

“We are extremely excited to have Burns & McDonnell join our project team as owner’s representative for our new practice facility and headquarters that we will be building in Olathe,” Chiefs Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Matt Kenny said. “As a local, employee-owned firm with a track record of project success around the world, we know they have the right mix of local knowledge as well as global experience to help us navigate the upcoming design and construction phases of a truly unique year-round home for our football team and staff.”

Burns & McDonnell will team with CAA ICON to serve as the franchise’s trusted advisor throughout the development of the new team facilities that support both business and football operations. Working alongside Chiefs project leaders, they will provide independent oversight and experienced leadership to guide the process from early planning through construction and occupancy. They will coordinate with architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, and other key stakeholders to support project execution, maintain alignment with budget and schedule objectives, manage risk, and help ensure the facility is delivered to the high standards expected by the Chiefs organization.

“We are honored to partner with the Kansas City Chiefs on this transformational project,” said Jon Wright, senior vice president and general manager of the Buildings Market at Burns & McDonnell. “The Chiefs have had an extraordinary impact on our region for generations, and this investment represents an exciting new chapter for the organization and the Kansas City community. As a Kansas City-based company, it is a privilege to help bring that vision to life by providing experienced project leadership from planning through construction. We look forward to working alongside the Chiefs and the entire project team to deliver a world-class facility for the organization, its staff and Chiefs Kingdom.”

Set to open ahead of the 2031 football season, the Chiefs new $300 million practice facility and headquarters – as well as an associated mixed-use development – will be located on approximately 155 acres near the intersection of College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road in Olathe.

Additional announcements related to the design and construction of the club’s new practice facility and headquarters in Olathe are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

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Kansas

Kansas Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for July 15, 2026

Published

1 day ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

The Kansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at July 15, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from July 15 drawing

02-07-18-29-38, Powerball: 16, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 15 drawing

Midday: 3-3-6

Evening: 0-9-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from July 15 drawing

Red Balls: 02-03, White Balls: 08-22

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from July 15 drawing

26-29-41-46-47, Star Ball: 09, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Super Kansas Cash numbers from July 15 drawing

06-08-14-24-26, Cash Ball: 01

Check Super Kansas Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 15 drawing

01-05-18-23-33, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Kansas Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at select Kansas Lottery offices.

By mail, send a winner claim form and your signed lottery ticket to:

Kansas Lottery Headquarters

128 N Kansas Avenue

Topeka, KS 66603-3638

(785) 296-5700

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a claim form, and deliver the form along with your signed lottery ticket to Kansas Lottery headquarters. 128 N Kansas Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603-3638, (785) 296-5700. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Kansas Lottery.

When are the Kansas Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3 Midday/Evening: 1:10 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. CT daily.
2 By 2: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Super Kansas Cash: 9:10 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Kansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Kansas

Kansas cases climb in ‘explosive diarrhea’ outbreak

Published

2 days ago

July 15, 2026

Press Room

Kansas cases climb in ‘explosive diarrhea’ outbreak

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – As health officials gain insight into the nationwide outbreak of the intestinal illness, cyclosporiasis, data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment show a sharp increase in cases within the Sunflower State.

As of Wednesday, KDHE is reporting 55 cases of the “explosive diarrhea” outbreak for the year, including 25 this month. A breakdown of the Kansas cases shows a balance of cases among males and females. The state data doesn’t break down county-by-county numbers, but on Tuesday, Sedgwick County confirmed five cases for the year, a total that is likely to jump with the additional statewide confirmations.

Also on Tuesday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said it identified lettuce and other salad greens as a potential source of the outbreak.

Adding to the concern about produce, Taco Bell issued a statement saying it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities,” the restaurant chain said.

Sedgwick County offered guidance on ways to protect yourself from cyclosporiasis and bacterial illnesses connected with produce:

Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or preparing them.
- Scrub firm fruits and vegetables, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
- Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating.
- Avoid bagged lettuce or salad mixes. When eating a whole head of lettuce, remove the first two or three layers of leaves and thoroughly wash the inner leaves under running water. Separate the leaves as you wash them.
Heating food to 158 degrees or higher kills the parasite.
Practice good hand hygiene by washing hands with soap and water before preparing or eating food and after using the bathroom or changing diapers.
Travelers to cyclosporiasis-endemic areas should follow food and water precautions, including avoiding foods and beverages that may be contaminated.
Be aware that Cyclospora is unlikely to be killed by routine chemical disinfection or sanitizing methods.
If you develop symptoms of cyclosporiasis, especially persistent watery diarrhea, contact a healthcare provider for evaluation and treatment recommendations.