KS - December 12 2024

1. New Kansas Passenger Rail Route Connecting Newton and Oklahoma City Expected by 2029
2. Federal Study of Ogallala Aquifer Approved to Address Water Supply and Drought Resilience
3. Kansas to Save $41M Annually with Congressional Water Contract Reforms
4. Kansas BOE Opposes Universal Free Lunch, Leaving Students Hungry for Answers
5. USDA Reports Family Farms Still Account for 96% of U.S. Farms

1. New Kansas Passenger Rail Route Connecting Newton and Oklahoma City Expected by 2029

A rail line connecting the Southwest Chief route in Newton to the Heartland Flyer in Oklahoma City could be fully operational by 2029, the Kansas Department of Transportation says. The connection would include a stop in Wichita, at Union Station, which hasn’t had passenger rail service since the 1970s.  Current estimates by the Kansas Department of Transportation show the cost for infrastructure improvements for the extension at $311,923,080, with $175,291,704 being spent in Kansas. An additional $261,374,400 would be spent to increase the passenger rail speed, which includes signal crossings and other rail improvements, bringing the total to $573,297,480.  Much of the funding will come from grants through the Federal Railroad Administration, with some local match. In its first six years of operation, 10% of operating costs will have to be covered by the states. KDOT estimates operating costs in that first year to be $3,825,018. In its seventh year, states will have to fully kick in the costs of operating the extension.

Article Source: Wichita Eagle

2. Federal Study of Ogallala Aquifer Approved to Address Water Supply and Drought Resilience

The Ogallala Aquifer that provides water from underground to western Kansas and parts of seven other states could be the subject of a new federal study. The U.S. House passed the Water Resources Development Act 399-18 on Tuesday. The bipartisan biannual legislation on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also expected to pass the U.S. Senate in the coming days before getting the president's signature. "There's monies in there to do a study of the Ogallala Aquifer," said U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kan., told The Capital-Journal. "It's very important to me that we make sure that we are studying, that we understand this resource. It's a multistate study, because the aquifer is underneath not just western Kansas, but also Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas." The aquifer also extends into New Mexico, South Dakota and Wyoming. A section of the 624-page bill authorizes a federal study in coordination with other federal and state agencies. The comprehensive study will assess "water supply, availability, drought resilience, aquifer recharge, and causes of aquifer depletion, for those regions overlying the Ogallala Aquifer." The agricultural economy of western Kansas is built upon irrigation from the aquifer. State officials have previously reported that about 2 million acres of farmland sit atop the Ogallala. Much of that is corn, which supports ethanol plants, dairies, feedlots and meatpacking plants. Towns also rely on the aquifer for drinking water, as do cattle operations for stock water.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

3. Kansas to Save $41M Annually with Congressional Water Contract Reforms

A "simple" change by Congress to federal water contracts for two northeast Kansas lakes will save the state's taxpayers about $41 million. The U.S. House passed the Water Resources Development Act 399-18 on Tuesday. The bipartisan biannual legislation on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also expected to pass the U.S. Senate in the coming days before getting the president's signature. One section of the 624-page bill directs the federal government to amend its contracts with Kansas for water storage space for water supply at Milford Lake and Perry Lake. Instead of the state paying compound interest, the contracts will change to simple interest.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

4. Kansas BOE Opposes Universal Free Lunch, Leaving Students Hungry for Answers

If Kansas lawmakers consider a bill to make school lunches free for all students, it won't have the support of the Kansas State Board of Education. The state board voted against including support for universal free meals for Kansas public school students among its 2025 legislative priorities. The vote was 4-5, and none of the nine board members present for the vote explained their reason for voting yes or no. Deputy education commissioner Frank Harwood said the item was raised as a potential legislative priority because there was a bill on the topic last year, and it could come up again this year. "This goes back to during the pandemic, the federal government said everybody got free meals," Harwood said. "Then that stopped. And now there are some states that have continued it on with state funds.

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

5. USDA Reports Family Farms Still Account for 96% of U.S. Farms

Released on Dec. 10, USDA-ERS published its 2024 edition of America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance. This publication, which pulls from survey data collected at the end of 2023, aims to give a snapshot of the U.S. farm economy. In total, family farms accounted for about 96% of total farms and 83% of total production in 2023. Large-scale family farms (GCFI of $1,000,000 or more) accounted for 48% of the total value of production and 31% of agricultural land in 2023.

Article Source: Ag Web

Sources

1. https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article296950104.html?tbref=hp

2. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2024/12/12/federal-government-will-study-ogallala-aquifer-in-kansas-and-elsewhere/76919090007/

3. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2024/12/12/kansas-taxpayers-will-save-41-million-on-water-contract-interest/76918926007/

4. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/education/2024/12/12/kansas-board-of-education-votes-against-universal-free-school-lunches/76894329007/

5. https://www.agweb.com/news/usda-family-farms-still-dominate-majority-u-s-farms?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202024-12-11%20Agriculture%20Dive%20%5Bissue:68658%5D&utm_term=Agriculture%20Dive