KARTA

NESS CITY – The Kansas Ag Research & Technology Association (KARTA) announced last month that they will be making up to $14,000 available for agricultural research funding in 2018. The announcement was made during the 20th Annual Kansas Agricultural Technologies Conference in Junction City, Kansas, in front of more than 150 producers, vendors, and students who attended the growing event.

Between now and February 20th, KARTA members (and prospective members) are encouraged to submit funding applications for on-farm research. “It is getting harder and harder to maintain a viable farming operation with rising input costs,” says KARTA Board President Brent Rendel. “On farm research is so important for testing new products and new methods – and sharing that information with the other producers at our annual conference is always an attendee favorite. It’s not about your theory being right, it’s about being more in-the-know when the data comes in.”

Research grants are available in several amounts. KARTA members who submit new research project receive a grant in the amount of $500 per person. Members who submit applications for continuing projects from previous years receive $400 per person. Group studies are also encouraged, and grants are available at $300 per group member involved with the research project. New group projects are being facilitated this year, with more information being announced to those who apply to participate.

“Grant funding is designed to encourage producers to answer the questions they might have on their own farms,” says KARTA Research Coordinator Tyler Lund. “The first time you take on a research project it can be challenging, but it gets easier the more you practice. We can help new researchers get started tracking their results, and can try to walk them through the process to make it as simple as possible.”

Grant recipients are expected to track their project’s results in a scientific manner that produces comparable data. The funds will be awarded in the spring of 2018, and the recipient will be expected to report their results to the KARTA membership at next year’s conference in January 2019. Anyone interested in learning more about the research funding or reading previous research projects should visit the KARTA website. From there, they can also fill out the convenient online application to request funding for their proposed project.

Deadline to apply is Tue., February 20th.

Find more details or apply on the KARTA website, www.kartaonline.org.  Be sure to like the KARTA facebook page and follow on Twitter, @kartaonline.

USD 489

Hays High School received a $1,000 Perkins Grant to purchase a Rockler-Bench Dog Cast Iron Router Table.

The proposed equipment will be used in project-based activities within the Wood Fundamental’s and Production Wood Technology curriculum.

The project-based activities will focus around three production methods: Job production, which tends tend to be singular in nature; batch production, which is grouped-type production; and flow production, which tends to be repetitive or mass quantity production.

Students will complete projects using one or more of the three above mentioned production methods, while not being limited to specific materials or machine processes, which is the current classroom environment.

Students in Fundamental Woods will use the proposed equipment in flow or mass production systems to complete projects, while Production Woods students will produce projects in batch and job production systems.

Through the proposed activities, students will manipulate a diverse range of materials and processes including, wood, plastics and laminates.

Machine set-ups will require precision measurements and precise calculations, and the development and use of jigs and fixtures into production processes.

The project-based activities will require testing and prototyping to verify material choice, joinery, quality control and final assembly.

Book donation

The Kansas-NEA Reading Circle program donated $531 worth of books to USD 489.

The donated books were added to the Hays High School and Hays Middle School libraries.

FHSU University Relations

The Fort Hays State University Science Café presents: “Same Stress, Different Animal” Tuesday, February 20 at 7 p.m. at Gella’s Diner, 117 East 11th St., Hays.

All animals (including humans) experience stress. Using insights from the animal kingdom, this presentation will explore why stress is important, and what happens with it when it gets out of hand. The presenter is Dr. Medhavi Ambardar, instructor of FHSU Biological Sciences.

This event is free and open to the public. Science Café is sponsored by the FHSU Science and Mathematics Education Institute.

Ellis County Attorney’s Office

On Monday, Feb. 12, Hays law enforcement received a report of an alleged threat made by a 14-year-old male child against Hays High School. The Hays Police Department immediately investigated the alleged threat in cooperation with Hays High School. As a result of the investigation, the 14-year-old male was taken into Police Protective Custody.

The child was placed in detention through Juvenile Services of Northwest Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority. On Thursday, a District Magistrate Judge ordered continued detention to allow the Ellis County Attorney’s Office to file a Child In Need of Care action. The Child In Need of Care action has been filed, and the child remains in state custody.

The child’s family has fully cooperated in this matter. Hays High School has fully cooperated in this matter. The Hays Police Department responded quickly and appropriately to take custody of the young man to protect him and the community. There is no indication that any other person(s) are involved in the alleged threat. There is no reason to believe that any further danger exists regarding this incident. The investigation into this incident continues by the Hays Police Department.

“This incident serves as a good example of community policing. Information was brought forward to law enforcement, who immediately responded. The cooperation of law enforcement and the school quickly ended the alleged threat,” Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees said in a news release. “It is incumbent upon all citizens to report information they have of possible harm to the community to law enforcement. Law enforcement and citizens working together provide the best opportunity to prevent crime and help keep our community safe.”

Child In Need of Care proceedings in Kansas are confidential. No further information about the child will be forthcoming.

KARTA

NESS CITY – Join K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Ag Research and Technology Association (KARTA) on Friday, February 23rd at 10:00 a.m. for an engaging workshop on crop imaging and crop scouting.

Participants will learn the following: 

Problems that can be managed through crop scouting

Pros and cons of crop scouting using UAV’s or drones

Pros and cons of crop scouting using satellite imagery

What to look for in crop imagery to identify problems in your field

Devices and tools on the market for collecting on-farm crop imagery

Representatives from TerrAvion and CropQuest will be present to guide the discussion and provide their insight into the various forms of crop scouting available.​

The workshop will take place at the CropQuest headquarters in Dodge City, Kansas. Don’t wait to sign up, registration is due by February 20th. As with all KARTA workshops, participation is FREE for current KARTA members. Non-members are welcome to attend for a $25 fee. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. For more information or to register, click here. The meal and venue for this workshop are generously being sponsored by TerrAvion and CropQuest.

Friday, February 23rd

CropQuest Headquarters

1204 W Frontview St

Dodge City, Kansas 67801

10 a.m. Central Standard Time