Kansas Farmers Receive Grants to Test Sustainable Farming Practices

Three Kansas farmers and agricultural producers have received grants to carry out projects focused on sustainable farming practices. The awards are part of the 2026 Farmer Rancher Grant Program, which supports farmers and ranchers conducting research, demonstrations and educational activities directly on their own operations.

One of the projects, led by Jennifer Simmelink of the Kansas Soil Health Alliance, received $30,000. The project will examine ways of improving soil health, productivity and quality in rangelands and pastures across eastern Kansas and Oklahoma. Producer-led studies will evaluate forage quantity and quality along with soil-health indicators.

Another grant, worth $15,000, was awarded to Cari Werner of Hawk ’n Cat Farm. The project will investigate feed formulations for pasture-raised heritage hybrid broilers. The research will look at feed-conversion efficiency, nutrient density and the ability of the birds to reach suitable market weights while maintaining characteristics valued by consumers.

The third recipient, Leah McKeeman of TerraVie in Manhattan, received $29,991 for a project involving virtual fencing and regenerative goat grazing. The work will explore how goats can be managed within native tallgrass prairie systems to help control invasive vegetation and improve ecosystem conditions without relying on chemical treatments.

The Farmer Rancher Grant Program is designed to allow agricultural producers to investigate practical solutions under actual farm and ranch conditions. Projects are evaluated on factors including the agricultural problem being addressed, its relevance to sustainable agriculture and how well the proposed work meets the programme's research and education objectives.

The programme operates across the North Central region of the United States and supports projects involving farmers, ranchers and other agricultural stakeholders. The latest Kansas awards demonstrate a range of approaches, from soil-health monitoring and livestock nutrition to technology-assisted grazing management and prairie conservation.

28-09-2026