Senator J.R. Claeys of Salina has announced that the state budget has been amended to include $36 million in funding and bonding authority to support the replacement of the aging Dairy Science Unit at Kansas State University. This move is aimed at helping the dairy industry in Kansas double in size, as research conducted at the new facility is expected to drive innovation within the state’s dairy industry. Despite being constructed 47 years ago and considered modern at the time, the current dairy facility at Kansas State University is no longer equipped to effectively teach students or conduct research using outdated methods. The facility also supports various programs within the university, including large-animal veterinary programs.
Although this project was not a priority for Kansas State University during the current legislative session, Senator Claeys and Representative Ken Rahjes, along with representatives from the Dairy Farmers of America, advocated for it without official university support. This comes as Senator Claeys emphasizes the importance of continually innovating within Kansas’ agriculture industry, which remains a top industry in the state. With a new cheese factory set to open in western Kansas and locally grown feed available, adding dairy to the state’s agriculture portfolio is seen as a more sensible option than shipping commodities out of state and then bringing them back in.
