Kansas Department of Agriculture outlines export reliance, avian-flu impacts and conservation programs

Kelsey Olson, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 27 that agriculture remains the state’s largest economic sector and that exports and animal‑health threats are shaping producer finances.

Olson said Kansas agriculture supports a direct economic input of about $61,890,000,000 and that the state ranks seventh in total agricultural production. “Approximately one‑third of Kansas’ exports as a whole come from agriculture,” she said, and noted the state exports to roughly 99 countries, with about 80% of export value going to the top five markets: Mexico, Japan, Canada and South Korea.

The nut graph: Kansas producers rely heavily on export markets, and recent federal trade actions and disease outbreaks are stressing prices and supply chains. Olson warned that tariffs and cuts to federal programs could have short‑ and longer‑term effects on farm income while the state advances targeted conservation and water‑resource efforts.

Olson said President Trump’s newly announced tariffs—implemented this week, she said—produced immediate market reactions and that Kansas producers “produce more in Kansas than what our consumers are able to consume,” making export markets critical to prices received by ranchers and growers. She highlighted meat and edible offal as the state’s leading export categories.

On animal health, Olson summarized the state’s response to High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI). “We are in the third year of our outbreak,” she said. Olson reported 42 confirmed cases in Kansas to date and said the state has depopulated fewer than 2,000,000 birds overall, numbers markedly smaller than the largest single‑facility losses reported in some other states. The department has implemented biosecurity and testing measures, she said, and participates in the national milk‑testing strategy intended to identify viral detections in raw milk before they reach processing.

Olson told lawmakers the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a $1,000,000,000 strategy intended to combat HPAI and to mitigate consumer price impacts; she said KDA will work to implement elements of the federal plan, particularly those supporting on‑farm biosecurity.

She also described localized program spending provided under state law. Olson cited a $500,000 “stock water” initiative, funded through House Bill 20302, to assist 15 livestock operations with on‑site water conservation and recycling measures. She said $4,500,000 was distributed at the end of fiscal 2024 and start of 2025 to assist owners of high‑hazard dams with maintenance and rehabilitation costs; Kansas classifies dams by downstream threat level rather than size.

On federal program risks, Olson identified several programs under review or facing cuts that could affect Kansas, including the USDA Wildlife Services feral swine management partnership (to which Kansas contributes about $200,000 annually) and an approximately $30,000,000 proposed reduction to the Food and Drug Administration budget that could affect produce‑safety work administered in partnership with the state.

Committee members pressed Olson on several points: Representative Sutton questioned the state’s ban on sport hunting of feral swine and the justification for continuing federal‑partnered removal programs; Olson said scientific evidence indicates hunting can disperse animals and increase spread. Representative Mosher and others described feral‑swine reproduction rates and local damage risks. Representative Howell asked about disease surveillance; Olson said the Kansas Animal Health Commissioner and K‑State’s veterinary diagnostic laboratory lead regulatory disease testing while KDA operates other food and pesticide labs.

Olson closed by noting farmers’ constrained incomes and the importance of monitoring federal developments such as farm‑bill negotiations. On the federal farm bill, Olson said Congress has continued prior provisions but that passage of a new five‑year farm bill remains uncertain, and that short‑term extensions are the most likely near‑term outcome.

The committee asked follow‑up questions; Olson said KDA will continue outreach and monitoring of federal policy and disease developments affecting producers.

Olson’s presentation and the committee Q&A ran roughly 23 minutes and covered production, trade, biosecurity, conservation grants and federal program risks.