© 2021
In touch with the world ... at home on the High Plains
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kansas Farm Bureau Sets 2018 Legislative Priorities

The Kansas Farm Bureau holds it's 99th annual meeting in Manhattan, Kansas
Brian Grimmett
/
KMUW
The Kansas Farm Bureau holds it's 99th annual meeting in Manhattan, Kansas

Water remains a key priority for members of the Kansas Farm Bureau, who approved their 2018 legislative agenda Tuesday.

Whether it’s preserving the Ogallala Aquifer in western Kansas or coming up with a plan to prevent sediment buildup in reservoirs in eastern Kansas, making sure farmers have enough water to use in the future continues to be a focus for the Kansas Farm Bureau.

KFB President Rich Felts said there’s still a lot of work to be done, but that Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s 50-year water vision has helped.

"The administration’s water vision has done a great job of getting people to recognize that we do have water issues across the state," Felts said. "We knew that all along, but it’s given people the opportunity to express, hey we do have an issue, and talk about it.”

Felts said the KFB would also lobby Kansas legislators to protect private property rights, especially when it comes to waterway access and wind energy, as well as keep an eye on any changes to state tax policy.

--

Follow Brian Grimmett on Twitter @briangrimmett.Coverage of energy and the environment is made possible in part by ITC Great Plains and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

 To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.

 

Copyright 2017 KMUW | NPR for Wichita

Brian Grimmett comes to KMUW after taking a year break from journalism, but he’s excited to jump back in to the fray. Previously, Brian spent almost five years working at KUER 90.1 FM in Salt Lake City. He worked his way up, starting as an intern and sticking around long enough until they relented and gave him a full-time job. At KUER, Brian covered a wide range of topics, but mainly focused on covering the Utah state legislature.