Kansas
With Trump and Musk driving U.S. policy, Kansas farmers have been played for suckers • Kansas Reflector
Back in November, I wrote a column for Kansas Reflector that discussed the likely adverse effects of President Trump’s proposed tariffs on U.S. farmers.
The piece noted that 398 million acres of cropland has been added to the mix around the world since the start of this century, notably in tropical regions such as Brazil and India. There is increasing competition for U.S. farmers in export markets. The United States alone cannot absorb all that we produce here.
Many farmers voted for Trump because he promised less regulation and greater prosperity for America’s farmers. The hard truth is that, like most of the folks who voted for Trump, farmers failed to do their homework about the reality of the new administration. All of this has occurred in the context of higher input costs and tight margins for virtually all crops.
We are now living and working in an environment where the only constant is chaos. Chaos produces uncertainty, and that leads to loss of trust. The buyers of U.S. farm products are not going to deal with nations that cannot be trusted. There are plenty of options in today’s world for those buyers to bypass the United States. Why on God’s green earth would they put up with the insanity that we have in Washington now?
It is almost laughable that some Republicans have come to the defense of Trump’s proposed tariffs, and that some of those same Republicans have promised to help the farmers who feel the impact.
Really?
We have an unelected multibillionaire who in effect bought the Trump presidency now running amok in Washington. On the one hand, we see unprecedented efforts (that is, without the advice and consent of the Congress) by some entity called DOGE to slash government spending, and on the other we hear some of Trump’s cronies promise aid for farmers. The two cannot be squared. Setting aside your political views, this is an unprecedented assault on the Constitution and the separation of powers.
Take your pick of programs. The Climate Smart programs designed to help farmers monetize carbon reduction practices on their farms are going away. The future of the 45Z tax credit is, well, who knows? What about export assistance programs urgently needed to help U.S. farmers counter the effects of the Trump tariffs and the rise of our global competitors, such as Brazil and India? And how about the price subsidies that featured prominently in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s farm support programs? What happens when the NOAA is defunded?
How about the effect of “soft power” from the programs that USAID has provided in many impoverished parts of the world? By some accounts, USAID buys about $2 billion dollars of US farm products annually. USAID is being dismantled by the dodgy group. To his credit, Sen. Jerry Moran has spoken loudly about this travesty. Others must do the same, otherwise, or our political and economic competitors will fill the gap.
Who suffers? Most certainly not Trump and his band of billionaires. Farmers, small towns and Main Street businesses bear the brunt of this ill-conceived approach.
Don’t bet the farm on help coming your way from this administration. Remember the old saying: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. My fellow farmers — you’ve been played. This nation cannot exist as an island. But that is the path that this administration is on, and the onus is on responsible folks from all political persuasions to find common ground to stop this madness.
Farmers, are you listening? These fundamental questions go to the heart of our democracy. From what we have seen this far, this nation is on a path that is at odds with our established role in the world, and the economic and social consequences could be unprecedented.
Ben Palen is a Kansas native and a fifth-generation farmer and agriculture consultant in Colorado and Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Forbes Field could be the home base for one of the US Air Force’s newest operations.
The 190th welcomed a site survey team consisting of members from the National Guard Bureau and active-duty Air Force to Forbes Field Tuesday. The Air Force is reviewing seven military bases across the nation to find a proper base for the KC-46 Pegasus.
KC-46s will replace KC-135 Stratotankers at the final decision location and bring enhanced capabilities, such as boom and drogue refueling on the same sortie, worldwide navigation and communication, cargo capacity on the entire main deck floor, receiver air refueling, improved force protection, and multi-point air refueling capability. DAF announces seven candidate locations for KC-46A Pegasus MOB 7
“The KC-46 brings more capability than just fuel to aerial warfare. This is critical for our Airmen and aircrew who would be fighting in potential future conflicts,” Col. Kent Crane, Commander, 190th ARW, said. “The site survey provides an opportunity to showcase how the 190th ARW is uniquely positioned to enhance Air Force capabilities in strategic refueling missions.”
The 190th Air Refueling Wing says it based its tour around several factors making it the ideal base: Forbes Field’s central location and potential for growth, and the 190th ARW’s existing infrastructure, partnerships, And proven capabilities.
“It’s always exciting getting to showcase the 190th, especially the members of the 190th because they’re so adaptable, they’re innovative, and they excel at everything they do,” Col. Marjorie Durkes, Deputy Commander, 190th ARW, said. “It’s so exciting to showcase not only the 190th but the Topeka community and how we’ve all come together around this.”
A final decision is expected this fall.
Candidate Bases:
- Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine
- Forbes Field Air National Guard Base (Topeka), Kan.
- Key Field Air National Guard Base (Meridian), Miss.
- McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base (Knoxville), Tenn.
- Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio
- Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
- Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base (Birmingham), Ala.
Copyright 2025 WIBW. All rights reserved.
ODESSA, Mo. (KCTV) – Leaders in Lafayette County hope to follow in the steps of other Kansas City-area counties.
Voters will decide whether to approve a question that would allow the county to charge a 3% tax on adult-use marijuana sales.
The ballot language is listed below.
Other counties and cities in Missouri have already implemented a similar tax. Money from the tax is being used to fund things like city services and initiatives to fight crime.
Voters can learn more about voting hours and polling locations on April 8 on the Lafayette County Election Board website.
Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.
The Kansas State Finance Council approved a $4,000 settlement with an inmate who accused the state of failing to protect him from multiple prison gangs.
A prisoner acted as a confidential informant while serving time at the Lansing Correctional Facility in 2015. The Kansas Department of Correction was investigating allegations of corruption at the facility. But despite assurances that he would remain anonymous, the prisoner’s involvement was allegedly revealed by employees at the facility.
Court records for the case have been sealed, and The Capital-Journal is withholding his name out of concern for public safety.
After his involvement was made known, the inmate said he had a “green light,” where a prisoner is marked as a target, by members of the Gangster Disciples, Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, Crips and adherents of Asatru — a Norse pagan revivalist group that is sometimes linked to white supremacist prison gangs.
The inmate was transferred out of state in 2017 but was since returned into the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections. He stated in court documents that staff informed him that other prisoners were still planning to attack him, and he made that known when transferred from Crawford County jail to the El Dorado Correctional Facilities.
Despite the warnings, he was housed with an inmate that the prisoner claims was a threat. After about a month at El Dorado, the prisoner alleges he was given an option to transfer to either Ellsworth Correctional Facility or Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility.
He chose Larned but was again targeted for attack by games, court documents allege.
The prisoner said he was placed in restrictive housing and requested an out-of-state transfer. He alleged that jail staff are retaliating against him for his previous court case in 2017 seeking out-of-state transfer, including by “screaming down the hallway around other inmates that Plaintiff ‘was a CI/snitch.’”
In April 2023, he was being held in segregated housing and “being forced to accept cell mates from general population.”
“If he refuses to accept them, he received a disciplinary report for disobeying orders. Plaintiff alleges that keeping him in long term segregation prevents him from earning program credits, and from buying food and electronics,” court documents said.
The parties agreed to the $4,000 settlement on Feb. 26, which the State Finance Council approved on March 24. The State Finance Council is comprised of the governor and legislative leaders.
The Department of Corrections said the inmate has been transferred out of state.
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