Kansas
Kansas advocates plant seeds of new farm bill addressing needs of diverse agricultural economy – Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Kansas Rural Center policy analyst Paul Johnson said the federal farm bill plowed about two-thirds of crop subsidies into feed grains for livestock despite the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recommendation that half a person’s diet feature fruits and vegetables.
Johnson said too many politicians were content with the government’s recipe for stabilizing the agriculture economy and showed little interest in reform legislation matching USDA farm program strategies with dietary suggestions.
“It has health implications,” said Johnson, an organic market gardener. “It’s less than 1% of federal farm bill subsidies that go for primary sources of healthier food.”
Congress was expected to complete a rewrite of the five-year law implemented in 2018, but conflict interfered with work by the House and Senate on a bipartisan compromise. Federal lawmakers, including President Joe Biden, agreed to a one-year extension of the farm law that had earmarked $430 billion for food and agriculture objectives from 2019 to 2023.
About 80 cents of every $1 of farm bill expenditures go to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, while much of the remainder served interests of farmers engaged in growing wheat, corn, soybeans and sorghum. A fraction was reserved for specialty crops that included fruits ranging from apples to strawberries, vegetables such as artichokes and watermelon and tree nuts including almonds and walnuts.
Johnson said only 7% of Kansas farmers were under the age of 35 and the average age was nearly 60. He said Kansans should expect a robust generational change in who farms the state during the next two decades.
“We need a whole new generation of beginning farmers to emerge for a better, more wholesome food system in Kansas,” he said. “We need a Kansas food-farm plan from the Department of Commerce and Department of Agriculture. We need a robust debate. In this state … the Kansas Legislature doesn’t seem to take notice. We need to build it into the congressional campaigns and really talk about kind of the future of farming in Kansas.”
Kansas Farmers Union executive director Nick Levendofsky, who also appeared on the Kansas Reflector podcast with Johnson to talk about the farm bill, said updates to the federal law in 2024 should recognize broader agriculture interests.
National policy ought to place an emphasis on making food for U.S. consumers affordable, accessible and healthy, he said.
“Kansas was once one of those states that grew a lot of produce. We were growing grapes. We were growing potatoes and we were growing watermelon. There was lots and lots of diversity at one time,” said Levendofsky, part of a farm family operation near Belleville. “We could still be doing this. It’s just that we choose not to and because the system allows for the production of these other crops instead.”
In any given year, Kansas received $1 billion to $1.2 billion for farm programs and $400 million to $500 million for food stamps. Federal funding invested in Kansas has been so substantial that farmers concentrated on fewer crops.
Johnson said Congress could adjust the farm bill to bring about more equity in terms of distributing taxpayer funding. He said there were about 58,500 farms in Kansas, but 2,900 accounted for three-fourths of the state’s farm sales in 2017.
In fact, he said, 88% of approximately $1 billion in federal farm payments scattered across Kansas in the past 20 years went to 20% of farms in the state.
“So, only 12% of those farm payments were left over for the remaining, you know, 80% of farms,” Johnson said.
Levendofsky said Congress should fully fund conservative programs authorized in the farm bill to get as much participation as possible. In 2020, only 18% of eligible Conservation Stewardship Program applicants in Kansas received funding to develop whole farm conservation and soil improvement programs.
There is interest in drafting legislation requiring farmers who benefit from subsidized crop insurance to adopt land use practices embraced by environmentalists, Levendofsky said.
Directives could include common practices such as no-till cultivation, crop rotation, managed grazing, plant of cover crops to preserve moisture or terraces to deter erosion. Sustainable farming practices could reduce erosion into streams, rivers and reservoirs that compromised the drinking water supply.
Levendofsky said the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which made investments in clean energy and climate action, included appropriations for farm conservation.
“Those programs are in place, so that we have that land to pass on to the next generation. It’s an investment,” Levendofsky said. “Preserving that land, preserving the water and the soil is key to all of this.”
Kansas
How to watch the Kansas City Chiefs game tonight: Free live stream
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The undefeated Kansas City Chiefs will look to move to 8-0 today in a Monday Night Football matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game will air on ESPN and ABC, with the top crew of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the call.
It is the second time for both teams on Monday Night Football this season. The game will kickoff at 8:15 p.m. Eastern.
Several streaming services will broadcast the Nov. 4 game live, and you can watch on Fubo (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling (promotional offers).
The Chiefs are still trying to avoid their first loss, as MVP favorite — quarterback Patrick Mahomes — has helped push the Chiefs to this point. Along with a stellar defense, Kansas City has allowed just 20 or more points in three of its seven games.
The Buccaneers are in perhaps the polar opposite position. Wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans have suffered long-term injuries, with Godwin notably out for the season. They’ve also lost two-straight games, including three of four.
Check out a complete rundown of NFL Week 9 action, including the schedule, predictions, previews, TV information and more.
Chiefs – Buccaneers Matchup Preview
The Chiefs are riding high atop the AFC and NFL standings with a dominant start to the season. They’re looking for a three-peat, and appear well on their way to being one of the AFC’s top seeds in the playoffs.
The Buccaneers are in some big time trouble, as they bring a 4-4 record into Kansas City. Aside from a 51-27 win over the Saints on Oct. 13, they’ve won just one game since Sept. 29.
Chiefs – Buccaneers Last Game Recap
The Chiefs won, again, over an AFC West foe, while the Buccaneers dropped another disappointing game against the Falcons.
Kansas City Chiefs: Beat the Las Vegas Raiders 27-20 on Oct. 27.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lost to the Atlanta Falcons 31-26 on Oct. 27.
Chiefs – Buccaneers Players to Watch
The Chiefs are loaded with a talented offense and defense, while the Buccaneers are trying to work in various new offensive weapons absent some major contributors.
Kansas City Chiefs: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (68.4% completion percentage, 8 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 1,651 yards passing), tight end Travis Kelce (38 catches, 335 yards, 1 touchdown), defensive tackle Chris Jones (3 sacks, 15 tackles).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Quarterback Baker Mayfield (71.1% completion percentage, 2,189 yards, 21 touchdowns, 9 interceptions), tight end Cade Otton (36 catches, 344 yards, 3 touchdowns), linebacker Lavonte David (56 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 interception).
How to Watch Chiefs – Buccaneers
- Who: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- When: Monday, Nov. 4, 2024
- Time: 8:15 p.m. Eastern
- Where: Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri
- Channel: ESPN, ABC
- Best Streaming Options: Fubo (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling (promotional offers).
Channel finder if you have cable
You can access the channel by using the channel finders online: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.
About FuboTV
Fubo (free trial) has three main packages: Pro costs $79.99/month; Elite is $89.99; Premier is priced at $99.99. Cancel before the free trial ends to avoid being charged. Fubo includes access to more than 185 sports, entertainment and news channels. You can record games, TV shows, movies and more.
About DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream, which also gives customers a free trial, offers four packages if you continue with the service after your trial ends: Entertainment for $69.99; Choice for $84.99; Ultimate for $109.99; and premier for $159.99. Choice offers the most channels for sports enthusiasts.
About Sling
Sling, which features promotional offers for new customers, has a Blue package for $20 for your first month ($40 after that) and an Orange package for the same price and deal. Get both the Blue and Orange packages for $27.50 for your first month ($55 after that).
For team hats, shirts and more gear: Visit Fanatics, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lids, Champs Sports and New Era.
Information from the AP was included in this report and AI might have been used to assist with this story.
Kansas
A healthy Kansas team should take the court on Monday
When Kansas opened up the exhibition portion of its schedule at Arkansas back on October, 25, the Jayhawks were without the services of Hunter Dickinson, Rylan Griffen, and Shakeel Moore. Bill Self’s squad fell to John Calipari and the Razorbacks, 85-69.
In returning home for its only exhibition game of the season, Kansas, on October 29, rolled past Washburn, 84-53. With Dickinson and Moore still sidelined with minor injuries, the Jayhawks were led by David Coit (19), Zeke Mayo (16), Griffen (14), and Flory Bidunga (10).
The No. 1 ranked team heading into the regular season, Kansas, will take the court against Howard on Monday night with a complete squad.
“I anticipate having a full squad,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self when addressing the media on Friday. “We have not limited reps since the game Tuesday with Hunt (Hunter Dickinson) and Shak (Shakeel Moore), even though that may be the case kind of moving forward, but we haven’t limited reps. So, yeah, unless something unforeseen happens, then we should be good.
“Rylan did fine getting through the game, and so this is the closest we’ve been to healthy, even though the timing’s off on two of them, but hopefully, by next week, we’ll be a little bit better,” he added.
A season ago, his first in Lawrence, Dickinson averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Offensively, he shot 55 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from behind the arc, and 62.4 percent from the free-throw line.
As high as the expectations were a season ago, those expectations might be even higher this season. For the second straight year, Kansas will enter the season as the No. 1 ranked team in college basketball. Furthermore, Dickinson will be the focal point on a team expected to compete for its third National Championship under Self.
Dickinson, at the end of the season, ultimately made the decision to remain in Lawrence to work on and improve different aspects of his game. On Friday morning, Self was asked if any of those improvements would be noticeable right away.
“I don’t think it’ll be obvious immediately until he gets his rhythm back because I do think conditioning and rhythm may be a little bit of a factor early on,” said Self. “But I think the biggest thing that you’ll see is, I don’t know if it’s a huge improvement, we’ll see a better passer just because of the way that we’re playing a little bit different than last year.”
What, if anything, did Dickinson focus on in terms of looking to improve during his time in Lawrence this offseason?
“I would say he continued to work on his athleticism, his body, and I think that what Hunt can do, I think Hunt has an unbelievable touch that if the ball gets on the rim sometimes it just has a tendency to fall in,” he added. “He’s got a soft touch. I don’t think he shot it near as well last year as what he’s capable of shooting it. I think early in the season he did, but I don’t think late in the season he did.
“And so just him to start maybe making some of the same shots that he didn’t make last year,” he added. “And I think a lot of that was legs too, because playing so many minutes.”
When it comes KU’s starting five against Howard on Monday night, Self wasn’t ready to tip his hat by announcing the starting lineup during his weekly press conference on Friday. However, it should come as no surprise that three players in particular were mentioned by Self.
“No, we haven’t decided yet,” said Self. “We haven’t decided yet, but I would say if health is good, you could make a case for Hunt. Juan (Dajuan Harris, Jr.) and KJ (KJ Harris, Jr.) starting, but we haven’t decided.
Kansas
Three new members join Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas National Guard welcomed three new members into their hall of fame on Nov. 3.
“The criteria is based on contributions that they do while in uniform and in service to their county also contributions that they do in their community,” Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame Board Chair Jacob King said.
Colonel Clifford Silsby, Colonel Edward Sykes, and First Sergeant Darrel Haeffele will join the over 130 Kansans in the National Guard Hall of Fame in Topeka.
The ceremony highlighted each honoree’s military career achievement and gave them the podium to thank all who made it possible.
“It‘s less about me, it‘s about everybody I’ve worked with that’s supported me through the years and they really deserve the credit because without them I wouldn’t ever be able to do anything that I’ve done,” Silsby said. “Well, maybe just a little.”
“I think everybody deserves recognition that serves, I just happen to be lucky enough to get in some situation,” Sykes said. “Sometimes I was unlucky getting shout-out was a little unlucky, but I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time and have the right people help me get to where I was.”
They aim to share their legacy by passing it on to the next generation.
“I had a great-grandson that was sitting beside me up front, today he joined the international guard,” Haeffele said.
“The military is the greatest place to start there is,” Sykes said. “You have the opportunity to serve your county and sometimes that can get a little rough but believe me it is part of being an American.”
Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.
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