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House panel approves Kansas Department of Agriculture budget with multiple water‑plan reappropriations and program additions
Summary
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee approved the Kansas Department of Agriculture budget for FY2026–27 with several reappropriations and targeted additions, including funds for a weights‑and‑measures truck, water‑plan projects, conservation district aid, a grasslands position, and spay/neuter grants; the committee also approved a $1 million one‑time award to the Musil Center for wheat research.
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday approved the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) budgets for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 as amended, approving a string of reappropriations and one‑time investments aimed at finishing current projects, supporting conservation district matching, and expanding targeted programs.
Legislative staffer Luke Drury told the committee the special committee on the state budget removed an addition of 5.7 FTEs in 2026 from the agency request and identified several State Water Plan Fund reappropriations under consideration, including dam inspections and irrigation technology cost‑share programs. Drury provided a staff figure for reappropriation of roughly $9,575,198.09 from the State Water Plan Fund for 2026 projects after excluding a water‑quality buffer initiative.
Key votes and additions approved by the committee included a voice‑vote approval to reappropriate $195,250 from the State General Fund to complete purchase of a KDA weights‑and‑measures (scale) truck; authorization to reappropriate approximately $9,575,198.09 of State Water Plan Fund balances for projects and programs (excluding the $635,433 water quality buffer initiative); and an added $250,000 of State Water Plan Fund money for water‑resource cost‑share specifically aimed at livestock‑watering projects.
Representative Rogers successfully moved to restore $1,750,000…
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