Filing is now open for candidates interested in joining one of Kansas’s five grain commodity commissions. These commissions cover corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, wheat, and sunflowers. Prospective candidates from central Kansas must gather petition signatures by November 30, 2025, to qualify for the election. Voting will occur between January and February 2026.
The election will focus on districts IV, V, and VI, which encompass the central third of Kansas. District IV includes counties such as Clay and Cloud; District V covers Barton and Dickinson; while District VI comprises Barber and Comanche among others.
To run for a commission seat, candidates must have actively grown the relevant commodity within the past five years and reside in the district they wish to represent. Candidates need to collect 20 signatures from eligible growers, with no more than five signatures coming from any single county. Eligible growers are those who are at least 18 years old by January 1, 2026, and have been actively growing these commodities for three years.
Candidates can collect signatures either on paper or online through a portal provided by the Kansas Department of Agriculture. The portal allows candidates to create an account and share a unique URL with signors for electronic signature collection.
Commodity commissions are led by growers who aim to support their industries’ economic viability through market development, education, promotion, and research initiatives. Commissioners serve three-year terms starting April 1, 2026.
For additional details about Kansas commodity commissions or voter registration information, visit the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s website at www.agriculture.ks.gov/CommodityCommissions.
Information from this article can be found here.
