Rural Roundup’s
Current Event Corral
Current Events From Around Kansas and Beyond - Last Updated 5-8-26
It's hard to stay on top of current events, so we have categorized a few things from the last month to help catch you up on topics that you care about from Kansas and beyond.
Kansas
A rural nonprofit grocery store is closing in Kansas, showing how hard it is to fight food deserts
Nitrate is quietly polluting rural drinking wells. How researchers are working to help
A dreamland for bison: Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is an American gem
Wind energy project abandoned in Rice County after abrupt meeting cancellation
USDA Invests More Than $11 Million to Improve Rural Water Infrastructure Across Kansas
WSU Bee Scientist Hosting International Pollinator Conference in Pullman
Hyperscale data center proposed in Tonganoxie, county commissioners discuss project with developer
USDA cuts funding for Kansas City urban farmers in the middle of project: 'Heartbreaking'
Empire electric company requests ‘substantial’ rate increase, raising customers’ bills about 40%
It’s hard to get legal help in rural Kansas. Now the state will pay new attorneys to practice there
US & Beyond
Agriculture
Funding Available Through the Local Agriculture Market Program
Farmers Invited to Join National Study on Farming and Soil Health
NIFA Launches New Rapid Response Grant Opportunity to Combat Emerging Agricultural Threats
Oregano, Rosemary and ‘Time’: Long-Term Swine Study Shows Natural-Compound Benefits
Free Webinar: Boost Farm Profitability While Advancing Sustainable Production
Kansas Corn Farmers, Consumers to Benefit From New Tax Credit Expanding Ethanol Availability
Organic Dairy Farmers File Class Action Against Federal Government
Op-ed: USDA Canceled $300 Million in Contracts for First-Generation Farmers.
Critics Call the Poultry Farming System Rigged. Craig Watts Is Fighting to Overturn It.
Deere & Co Agrees to Pay $99 Million to Settle ‘Right to Repair’ Lawsuit
Walmart Joins U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, Taking Major Step to Advance Sustainable Cotton Sourcing
Settlement Underscores Need for Federal Right-to-Repair Protections
Trump Administration Targets America’s Buffalo In A Fight Over Public Land
Data Centers and AI
Data centers are straining the grid. Can they be forced to pay for it?
Data centers are on the ballot in 2026 — and just failed the first test
Ultra-processed information: AI and the coming deluge of noise
Farm Bill
US House passes ‘skinny’ farm bill that keeps big GOP cuts to food assistance
Millions-strong Farmer Coalition Urges Prop. 12 Relief in Farm Bill
Trump is blocking solar for farmers. Can the Farm Bill fix that?
Pesticides
What Carey Gillam Learned Through Years of Investigating Monsanto
Bayer’s Effort to Block Roundup Lawsuits Kicks Into High Gear
NEW STUDY ADVANCES SCIENCE LINKING PESTICIDE EXPOSURES TO CANCER
Inside Monsanto’s Day in Court: Scientists Weigh in on Glyphosate’s Cancer Risks
Bayer lobbying rebounds as Roundup legal fight reaches Supreme Court
Pesticide use and cancer risk rise together across America’s heartland
Pesticide drift is catching schools off guard. Lawmakers want to require notice before spraying.
Politics
Ranking Member Angie Craig Slams USDA Cuts to Farmland Access Program
USDA cancels $300 million program to help farmers buy land amid anti-DEI push
Trump administration cuts turned rural towns into sitting ducks for disasters
Trump's nearly $5B proposed cuts to USDA could hurt rural America, critics say
USDA Delivers Over $2.5M in Payments to Disaster-Impacted Farmers
Monsanto argues for lawsuit immunity in case before Supreme Court
Watchdog group alleges Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins violated ethics rules
Organizations Call On Congress to Support Rural Small Businesses
The Green New Deal has evolved. Now it’s all about ‘affordability.’
House Leadership Pulls Vote On “Extinction Act” After Bipartisan Outcry
Renewable Energy
Hosting Solar Can Be a Lifeline for Farmers. But Overcoming Local Opposition Is Tough
Four Takeaways from 1,000 Miles of Colorado Agrivoltaics Conversations
The state of solar: Despite partisan rhetoric, the industry is still booming
US judge halts Trump admin’s blockade on new wind and solar projects
New project ‘floats’ idea of solar panels on irrigation reservoirs
Here’s what to expect from the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels
Rural Culture
Avoid costly surprises by reviewing insurance policies before disaster strikes
Rural-Focused $42 Billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program Becomes Operational
‘The dirt is contaminated.’ Across Kansas City’s urban neighborhoods lead lurks in the soil
Why Nearly 4.3 Million People Are No Longer Receiving Food Stamp
Farmer Sentiment Improves Despite Rising Input Cost Concerns
We asked climate leaders what’s keeping them inspired. Here’s what they said.
PBS Premieres ‘Roadtrip Nation’ Documentary Featuring Rural Minds Founder
Science
Marigold Flowers Show Potential as a Source of Plant-Based Protein
Most American prairies are gone, but they’re not completely lost
Bird populations are shrinking faster in agriculture hotspots — including the Midwest, study finds
Can scientists make fruits and veggies resilient to climate change?
USDA & EPA
USDA and EXIM Announce Historic Partnership to Put American Farmers First and Boost Exports
NRCS Announces Second Application Sign-ups for Agricultural Land Easements
USDA Announces the Creation of the USDA National Proving Grounds Network
Trump's nearly $5B proposed cuts to USDA could hurt rural America, critics say
Land access and marketing grant recipients angered by USDA cutoff of program
USDA cancels $300 million program to help farmers buy land amid anti-DEI push
USDA Announces $52 Million to Boost Public Access to Private Lands for Hunting and Fishing