Kansas State University and Garden City Community College have signed an educational partnership agreement to make four-year bachelor’s degree programs available to students in southwest Kansas without requiring them to relocate to Manhattan to finish.

Students will be able to complete their first 60 to 75 credit hours at GCCC before finishing their bachelor’s degrees with K-State, using remote instruction and on-site lab experiences. Initially, the partnership will develop a new bachelor’s degree through K-State’s College of Agriculture for students with an associate degree who want to specialize in animal science, crop science or agribusiness.

This effort comes after community feedback from listening tours in the region over the past year. Local business owners and community members raised concerns about the “brain drain” of students leaving the community to get their education at colleges on the other side of the state.

Lona Duvall, president and CEO of the Finney County Economic Development Corp., said in a news release, “This collaboration will build a skilled workforce that supports local businesses, attracts new industries and empowers individuals to pursue rewarding careers without leaving the area.”

New life for shuttered Kansas Dairy Ingredients plant

Related:Kansas Farm Bureau Campaign School opens registration

Hugoton, Kan., got an early Christmas present in the form of economic development when Flora Food Group announced Dec. 11 that it has purchased the shuttered Kansas Dairy Ingredients plant and will turn it into a hub for its cream and cream cheese products.

According to Gov. Laura Kelly’s office, this is a capital investment of about $90 million and will create about 100 jobs over the next few years. The facility will be the hub for Flora’s cream and cream cheese products for the U.S., Canada and the rest of the Americas, according to a statement.

“With the acquisition of this new facility, we are thrilled to have a unique opportunity to expand our creams business,” said Jim Breach, president of Flora Food Group’s North American business. “Building on the existing, state-of-the-art infrastructure and trained workforce residing in the local community, we look forward to bringing more folks into the Flora Food Group family as well as continuing to produce our kitchen and pantry staple items here in America’s heartland and across our broader Americas region.”

The former KDI plant closed suddenly Jan. 19 after a $45 million facility expansion. It had been open since 2013.

Nominate KFAC Teacher of the Year

The Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is calling for nominations for the 2026 KFAC Teacher of the Year. Any certified K-12 teacher who teaches in a Kansas classroom and integrates agricultural concepts into nonagricultural curricula is eligible. The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in June.

Related:Land auctions showed buyer interest to December

Learn more and nominate a teacher here: ksagclassroom.org/teacher/year.

Kansas Soybean Commission funds proposals for FY2026

The Kansas Soybean Commission convened in early December at the Kansas Soybean Office in Topeka to deliberate funding proposals and establish the budget for fiscal 2026, which runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

The board of volunteer farmer leaders worked through 41 funding proposals from researchers, agricultural educators and national industry groups looking to bring value to the soybean growers, buyers and consumers. Lower prices and tough growing conditions in recent years significantly reduced soybean checkoff collections available for investment.

A total of 27 projects were selected for implementation with the start of the next fiscal year, with focuses on field research to enhance crop viability, educational engagement with youth and teachers, and market development initiatives both domestically and abroad. The soybean checkoff is funded by farmers contributing one-half of 1% of the sale price of their soybeans.

Related:Kansas land sales pick up through October

The United Soybean Board announced that the national soybean checkoff has grown the impact of U.S. soybeans to add $9.8 billion in value to the U.S. gross domestic product. Learn more at kansassoybeans.org.

3i Show closes its doors

The Western Kansas Manufacturers Association, the sponsor of the 3i Show, announced Dec. 4 that it will not be returning in 2025.

Citing hardships from the pandemic, changes in the way farmers purchase equipment and low event attendance, the 3i Show chose to make the decision in time for exhibitors to adjust their plans for 2025, Eddie Estes, president and CEO of WKMA, said in the announcement.

The 2024 show marked the 70th year of the 3i Show, which stood for “Industry, Implements and Irrigation.” It previously alternated between Great Bend and Garden City, Kan., until finding a permanent home in Dodge City’s Expo Center in 2011. The WKMA will remain a corporation working for its members and the agribusiness industry in the state, according to the release.