K-State Research & Extension
K-State Research & Extension is the public outreach arm of Kansas State University, delivering free, research-based food safety, home food preservation, and 4-H fair judging education to Kansas residents across all 105 counties via the Rapid Response Center, county extension offices, and multistate extension partnerships.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1863
- HeadquartersManhattan, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What K-State Research & Extension does
K-State Research & Extension is the outreach and continuing education arm of Kansas State University, a public land-grant university established in 1863. It delivers research-based education to Kansas residents through a network of county extension offices spanning all 105 Kansas counties, supplemented by digital channels including a YouTube channel, monthly and bimonthly e-newsletters, and a publications catalog distributed via the K-State Bookstore. Its primary programmatic vehicle is the Rapid Response Center, housed in the Department of Grain and Food Science, which focuses on consumer food safety, home food preservation, fair judging training for 4-H, and local food producer support. Core content covers seven preservation methods — canning, dehydrating, freezing, pickling and fermentation, jam and jelly making, curing and smoking meat, and freeze drying — anchored to USDA's Complete Guide to Home Canning and National Center for Home Food Preservation standards.
The organization also operates the Kansas Value Added Foods Lab, which provides laboratory and Nutrition Facts labeling services to Kansas food entrepreneurs, and supports the Kansas 4-H youth development program through fair judging resources, scorecards, and training webinars. Its content is offered in English and Spanish, with partnerships extending across the 12-state North Central Food Safety Extension Network, the National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia), and peer land-grant institutions including Oregon State University Extension and North Dakota State University Extension.
K-State Research & Extension is not a commercial enterprise; it is funded through state appropriations, federal cooperative extension grants administered by USDA, and county partnerships. Educational services, newsletters, and webinars are provided free of charge to Kansas residents, with only nominal fees on certain printed publications. The organization is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents as part of Kansas State University, with no private equity, venture capital, or external ownership interest.
K-State Research & Extension firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- K-State Research & Extension
- Legal name
- Kansas State University
- Website
- https://rrc.k-state.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1863
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- K-State Research & Extension is the public outreach arm of Kansas State University, delivering free, research-based food safety, home food preservation, and 4-H fair judging education to Kansas residents across all 105 counties via the Rapid Response Center, county extension offices, and multistate extension partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where K-State Research & Extension is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manhattan
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
K-State Research & Extension business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Public University Extension Services: K-State Research & Extension operates as a publicly-funded land-grant university extension program. Services including publications, workshops, newsletters, and educational resources are provided free or at minimal cost to Kansas residents. Funding derives from state appropriations, federal extension grants, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free public extension services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
K-State Research & Extension product offering
Product offeringCore offering
K-State Research & Extension is the outreach arm of Kansas State University, operating the Rapid Response Center to deliver research-based education on home food preservation, food safety, 4-H youth development, and local food production support. Core offerings include tested educational curricula on canning, dehydrating, freezing, pickling, fermentation, jam/jelly making, and curing/smoking, delivered via publications, newsletters, webinars, workshops, and county extension offices across all 105 Kansas counties.
Product overview
K-State Research & Extension operates the Rapid Response Center, a comprehensive educational platform providing food safety and home food preservation resources to Kansas residents. The core offering consists of Food Preservation educational content covering seven primary methods (canning, dehydrating, freezing, pickling/fermentation, jam and jelly making, and curing/smoking meat), supplemented by the You Asked It! monthly newsletter, Fair Judging resources for Kansas 4-H fair competitions, and the Kansas Value Added Foods Lab providing laboratory services to local food producers. The platform offers tested recipes, how-to videos, publications in English and Spanish, and connects users to the broader National Center for Home Food Preservation network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rapid Response Center Central hub providing food safety information, food preservation resources, and educational materials for Kansas residents, including publications, how-to videos, and access to county extension support.
- Food Preservation Educational Program Research-based educational program covering seven primary home food preservation methods: canning, dehydrating, freezing, pickling/fermentation, jam and jelly making, and curing and smoking meat, with tested recipes, equipment guidance, and botulism prevention protocols.
- You Asked It! Newsletter Monthly e-newsletter delivering food safety information, seasonal preservation tips, and answers to common questions submitted by Kansas residents.
- Fair Judging Program Educational resources and training for judges evaluating foods, nutrition, and food preservation exhibits at Kansas county and state fairs, including scorecards, evaluation forms, and recorded training webinars.
- Kansas Value Added Foods Lab Laboratory services for Kansas local food producers and entrepreneurs, including Nutrition Facts labeling support and value-added food product development guidance.
- Preserve It Fresh, Preserve It Safe Newsletter Joint bimonthly newsletter produced in partnership with the 12-state North Central Food Safety Extension Network, providing collaborative seasonal food preservation and food safety guidance.
- Food Safety Education Educational program covering fresh produce safety, ServSafe training, and consumer food safety topics including botulism prevention, safe canning practices, and produce handling.
Companies that use K-State Research & Extension
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
K-State Research & Extension technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
K-State Research & Extension partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- North Central Food Safety Extension Network (NCFSEN)coreJoint publication partnership with 12 states in the North Central region producing the bimonthly Preserve It Fresh, Preserve It Safe newsletter. Collaborative food safety education initiatives and resource sharing across state extension services.
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia)coreReferenced as the primary authoritative source for tested home food preservation methods. K-State materials align with NCHFP guidelines and USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning standards.
- North Dakota State University ExtensionminorCross-university collaboration for food preservation publications including sausage making guides, wild game preservation, and native fruit jam/jelly recipes.
- Oregon State University ExtensionminorResource sharing for pickling, fermentation, vinegar guidance, and Oregon's 'So Easy to Preserve' curriculum referenced as a top resource.
- University of Georgia (So Easy to Preserve)coreCooperative Extension program producing the 'So Easy to Preserve' book, listed as a top-three resource alongside NCHFP and USDA guidelines for home food preservation education.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
K-State Research & Extension competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- University of Georgia - National Center for Home Food Preservation: The NCHFP is the national reference authority for home food preservation research and education. K-State materials explicitly align with NCHFP guidelines and USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning standards, making UGA's NCHFP the most comparable peer for Rapid Response Center's content mission.
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Oregon State Extension produces the 'So Easy to Preserve' book, listed as a top-three resource alongside NCHFP and USDA guidelines, and shares resource partnerships with K-State for pickling, fermentation, and vinegar guidance. Direct peer in food preservation publication.
- North Dakota State University Extension: NDSU Extension is a cross-university partner for food preservation publications including sausage making guides, wild game preservation, and native fruit jam/jelly recipes. Mirrors K-State's cooperative extension mission in an adjacent North Central state.
Broad incumbents
- Purdue University Extension: Purdue Extension is a large land-grant extension service offering food safety, nutrition, agriculture, and 4-H programming across Indiana counties. Operates a parallel community education model with broader portfolio scope than K-State.
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Iowa State Extension provides food safety, food preservation, and 4-H programs across Iowa counties under the same land-grant cooperative extension structure. Closely aligned mission in an adjacent Midwest state.
- University of Minnesota Extension: UMN Extension delivers food safety and nutrition programs to Minnesota residents through a state network of county offices, sharing the same land-grant extension structure and North Central regional scope as K-State.
- University of Missouri Extension: Missouri Extension provides food safety and 4-H youth programming across Missouri counties, with a closely aligned land-grant mission in an adjacent Midwest state participating in the same North Central regional networks.
- University of Nebraska Extension: Nebraska Extension serves Nebraska counties with food, nutrition, agriculture, and 4-H programs under a comparable land-grant university extension structure within the North Central region alongside K-State.
- Colorado State University Extension: CSU Extension provides food preservation education in Colorado with similar university extension structure, though Colorado operates somewhat outside K-State's Midwest core region.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks2 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
K-State Research & Extension social profiles
Digital presenceK-State Research & Extension financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
K-State Research & Extension leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
K-State Research & Extension subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
K-State Research & Extension funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
K-State Research & Extension M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about K-State Research & Extension
What does K-State Research & Extension do?
K-State Research & Extension is the outreach arm of Kansas State University, operating the Rapid Response Center to deliver research-based education on home food preservation, food safety, 4-H youth development, and local food production support. Core offerings include tested educational curricula on canning, dehydrating, freezing, pickling, fermentation, jam/jelly making, and curing/smoking, delivered via publications, newsletters, webinars, workshops, and county extension offices across all 105 Kansas counties.
Is K-State Research & Extension a public or private company?
K-State Research & Extension is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was K-State Research & Extension founded?
K-State Research & Extension was founded in 1863. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is K-State Research & Extension based?
K-State Research & Extension is headquartered in Manhattan, United States, in the North America region.
How does K-State Research & Extension make money?
One revenue line is on record: public University Extension Services.
Who are K-State Research & Extension's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are University of Georgia - National Center for Home Food Preservation, Oregon State University Extension Service and North Dakota State University Extension. Broad incumbents are Purdue University Extension, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, University of Minnesota Extension, University of Missouri Extension, University of Nebraska Extension and Colorado State University Extension.
Does K-State Research & Extension have an API?
No public API is recorded for K-State Research & Extension.