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Listen to this week's report: Following the Turnaround, the Kansas Legislature’s seventh week quickly shifted to major policy and budget debates. While committees in both chambers began hearing bills from the opposite chamber, the House took up two of the session’s most closely watched issues: the state budget and property tax relief. With the Legislature now in the second half of the session, committees will work through bills that survived Turnaround, and negotiations will intensify on other high-profile measures. After several hours of debate, the House passed its version of the...

Listen to this week's report: As the pace accelerated, committees wrapped up hearings and leadership prioritized legislation that had gained traction during the first half of the session. The extended floor debates reflected the push to move policy proposals forward before the mid-session deadline, a routine but significant milestone that helps shape the Legislature’s workload for the remainder of the year. Lawmakers considered proposals tied to tax policy, regulation, water resources, energy, and infrastructure, all areas closely watched by stakeholders impacted by proposed legislation. With Turnaround now behind them, attention will shift...

Listen to this week's report: Week Five of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session marked a noticeable shift from early-session bill filings to more substantive committee work and initial floor debate. With most bill introductions complete, lawmakers spent the week refining proposals and moving priority measures forward ahead of Turnaround Day, next Thursday, Feb. 19, when most nonexempt bills must clear their chamber of origin in order to remain alive for this session. As the Legislature moves closer to key deadlines, the pace of activity is expected to accelerate, with more bills appearing on...

Listen to this week's report: The Kansas Legislature entered the fourth week of the 2026 session with activity at the Statehouse picking up quickly as lawmakers worked to meet bill introduction deadlines. Between Monday, Feb. 2, and Friday, Feb. 6, more than 210 bills were introduced in the House and Senate, a typical surge in production as legislators file proposals ahead of key procedural cutoffs. The increase in bill introductions marks a shift in the session’s pace, with committees beginning to move beyond informational briefings and into more substantive policy discussions. The growing volume of legislation reflects continued attention...

Listen to this week's episode: The third week of the Kansas legislative session maintained momentum with committees and floor debate picking up, and several hot-button social policy issues drawing lengthy hearings. Alongside those debates, a few items of direct interest to the agriculture community moved forward. The House passed bills concerning theft of grain, livestock, and agricultural equipment, and a bill clarifying that federal pesticide warning or labeling requirements satisfy any state pesticide warning or labeling requirements. Both measures now head to the Senate for consideration. Lawmakers continued their discussions on other bills touching on taxation, land use, regulatory reform, employer obligations,...

Listen to this week's episode: The second week of the 2026 Kansas legislative session began with a shortened schedule due to the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, with committee activity ramping up later in the week. Lawmakers continued to introduce bills and hold committee hearings across a range of policy areas, including education, taxation, tort reform, public safety, and economic development. The first bill of the session addressing property tax relief - a proposed constitutional amendment to cap annual assessments - was advanced favorably from the Senate Tax Committee. With limited floor action, much...

Listen to this week's episode: The 2026 Kansas legislative session began on Monday, Jan. 12 as members of the House of Representatives and Senate returned to Topeka ahead of fall elections where statewide offices and 125 House seats stand for election. Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover) and Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita) gaveled in their respective chambers for what could be the final time as Masterson embarks on a race for governor, while Hawkins is seeking to be elected as the state’s insurance commissioner. Both chambers look to...

Under the recently-restructured Rail Service Improvement Fund Program Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) introduced and led the charge on passing legislation in 2023, Governor Laura Kelly announced $11.2 million toward 10 rail expansion and rehabilitation projects on Jan. 15, 2026. As it has the since the program's inception, KGFA will immediately send the application information for funding to its membership when Kansas Dept. of Transportation opens the application window. “We are grateful to the Legislature and the administration for recognizing strong rail infrastructure is essential to keeping Kansas agriculture competitive,” said KGFA President and CEO Ron Seeber. “This investment delivers...

For many years, Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) has worked with the Property Valuation Division (PVD) of the Kansas Dept. of Revenue to update and amend the division’s grain elevator valuation guide used by local county appraisers. Following up on KGFA's notification to members sent Dec. 10, 2025, PVD has released its 2026 Grain Elevator Appraisal Guide and template worksheet. These documents, in addition to the previously shared summary sales report and depreciation/price per bushel table are available via the buttons to the bottom. Below are some of the notable updates. There have been seven (7) new...

The selection committee for the Tomorrow’s Agribusiness Leaders (TAL) program met in early-December to review applications and select five members of the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association and five members of the Kansas Grain and Feed Association to comprise the 28th class of agribusiness’ premier leadership development course. The selection committee of TAL alumni chose: Charles Aufdenkamp (ADM); Libby Clark (Farmers Cooperative Association); Logan Cox (Conestoga Energy Partners); Josh Crosby (MKC); Stephen Floyd (Producer Ag, LLC); Paul Hennings (Irsik & Doll Feed Service); Anthony Holmes (Kanza Cooperative Association); Cooper Lancaster (Morrill Elevator); Levi Lehmkuhl (Ag Partners Cooperative) and J.D. Pruitt (ProValue Insurance) to complete the...

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