Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) will have a significant impact on Kansas’ precision agriculture industry and overall economy, according to elected officials, academics and industry leaders speaking at a press conference today. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined leaders at Kansas State University and Michael Toscano, president & CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), to launch a flight demonstration of numerous UAS used to enhance the care of crops, livestock, pasture and rangelands. Sen. Moran and Toscano also delivered remarks on the significant economic growth and job creation potential of UAS in Kansas.

“As a global leader in aviation and aerospace, Kansas is a pioneer in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems market, which holds great promise for boosting the economy and creating jobs in our state,” Sen. Moran said. “As the aerospace industry grows and looks to take on new UAS ventures and industries, there is real potential for this platform to be used responsibly and safely in an industry already booming in Kansas: agriculture. The number of ways farmers and ranchers can utilize UAS are endless — from mapping the spread of disease or insects within a field to applying fertilizer to a specific area of crops — and I look forward to continued progress in this field.”

As a national leader in UAS advancement, Kansas is poised to benefit significantly from the rapidly growing unmanned systems industry and the forthcoming integration of UAS into the U.S. airspace. A recent AUVSI study projects that UAS integration will contribute an economic impact of $2.9 billion and create 3,716 new jobs in Kansas by 2025.

“Today’s flight demonstrations highlight one of the greatest potential applications for unmanned aircraft technology – saving farmers millions of dollars in time and resources,” said Michael Toscano. “Integrating UAS into the national airspace will lead to a host of new uses, and Kansas is well-positioned to reap the economic benefits that will accompany the expanded use of this technology.”

The agriculture sector is expected to be the largest market for UAS technology, the AUVSI study finds, accounting for 80 percent of all commercial use. Among many other agricultural benefits, UAS could provide a cost-effective way to protect crop health and observe overall farm performance. In 2015 alone, the total economic impact of agriculture spending on unmanned aircraft in Kansas is estimated to reach more than $75 million, with 772 new jobs created.

“We at Kansas State are excited to see the progression of this technology to the point where it can really start benefiting the general population and agriculture is the perfect place to start since it touches
so many people,” said Dr. Kurt Barnhart, a professor, head of the department of aviation, and executive director of the Applied Aviation Research Center at Kansas State University.

The incorporation of UAS is a growing trend in precision agriculture, as it makes farming more efficient and cost effective. UAS could provide farmers with a low-cost way to spray for pests and diseases, analyze soil patterns, and check crops for signs of drought and blight. UAS can save farmers the significant cost of hiring or operating manned aircraft.

Scientists in the United States have already begun using small remote-controlled helicopters to help farmers detect diseases and stress in their crops. The helicopters take photographs and measurements that allow farmers to keep an eye on their large fields. An increasing number of American colleges and universities, such as Kansas State, are advancing UAS technology as a tool in agriculture as well.

For example, researchers at Kansas State have been able to use UAS to far more accurately and efficiently locate and quantify harmful algae affecting many Kansas lakes and ponds. The University has also successfully demonstrated that UAS can be used to greatly reduce the time required to identify how environmental and genetic interactions affect the characteristics of plants. In addition, researchers are currently working on projects that will deliver detailed economic benefits on how UAS can impact growers, seed distributors, and crop breeders.

Kansas credit unions began 2013 with strong growth in assets, shares, capital and loans. Loan growth has been outstanding, with Kansas credit unions increasing loan balances by 5.8 percent, while credit unions nationwide increased loan balances by 4.8 percent. The average member relationship (the outstanding combined loan and share balances per member, excluding member business loans) also increased, up to $12,428 in March.

“Our state’s credit unions continue to faithfully serve the 630,000 Kansas consumers who are credit union members,” said Tammy Wendland, consultant for the Kansas Credit Union Association. “The ‘people helping people’ philosophy is evident by the increased member relationship numbers, as people continue to see the value of credit unions and how credit unions can help them reach their financial goals.”

Asset quality is still a high point for Kansas credit unions, despite a slight increase in delinquency. Even with the increase, credit unions are still below the national average of 1.02 percent.

Capital levels remain high at 11.3 percent of assets, which beats commercial banks, as well as credit unions and banks nationwide.

Share balances increased at a rate of 6.0 percent, outpacing the national average of 5.1 percent.

Nationally, credit unions show strong growth in lending activity, core deposit balances, and have added nearly two million new members over the past year.

(AP) — The attorney general of Kansas has been named to a leadership position in the National Association of Attorneys General.

The office of Attorney General Derek Schmidt says in a release Schmidt was elected this week as the association’s Midwest chairman.

The the organization is a nonpartisan group that includes the attorneys general in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

The association sets initiatives for law enforcement and has recently focused on combating human trafficking, protecting consumer privacy and promoting child safety. It also provides education and training opportunities for attorneys general and staff in the Midwest.