This week’s episode of That Podcast in Hutch takes a dive into something most of us have had to deal with at one time or another - Homeowner’s Insurance - with my friend Dave Inskeep, owner of Joe McGuire Insurance.

In recent months, I’ve had a number of conversations with lenders, bankers, community advocates, and others about the critical need for more housing. This need spans the state, and across all income levels.

There are a number of barriers that prevent needed development, and one of those that I think we don’t talk about often enough is the rising cost of insurance, policy changes that make it harder to adequately maintain a home, and the chilling effect all of that has on the housing and development market.

According to a report by the Consumer Federation of America, the average price of homeowner’s insurance increased an average of $628 between 2021 and 2024. In Kansas, the average rate rose 14 percent, but as you’ll learn, that isn’t consistent across the state - some areas saw higher, and lower, rate increases.

Kansas already had one of the highest insurance costs in the country, landing a spot among one of the seven most expensive states for insurance, which include Florida and Louisiana. On average, a homeowner pays more than $4,200 per year for coverage on a $350,000 home.

Dave does a great job of walking me through a lot of the complexities of insurance, and, I think, gives us an honest assessment of what is happening in the insurance industry.

If you own a home, plan to sell a home, hope to own a home, or have anything to do with homes, I think you’ll find this episode informative and enlightening. I know you’ll walk away knowing more about insurance than you did beforehand.

Link to the Consumer Federation of America report -
https://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/OverburdenedReport.pdf

This week’s episode of That Podcast in Hutch features Haley Kottler, the anti-hunger campaign director for Kansas Appleseed.

Haley has worked extensively on food and hunger policy in Kansas, and she shares some of her insights and experiences working to defend programs like SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

SNAP provides vulnerable families with an average of around $171 per month in food assistance, which is less than $2 per meal, per person. In our conversation, Haley pushes back against some of the prevailing myths that exist around safety net programs like SNAP, and explains how ensuring access to food has broader economic benefits to our communities, state, and country.

Additionally, Haley shares some of SNAP’s history - including its ties to Kansas and its fierce defense by the late Kansas Senator Bob Dole.

During the past 10 years, and continuing today, programs such as SNAP have come under heavy assault. Opponents have claimed SNAP is flooded with fraud and abuse, and have called for restrictions and in some cases elimination. Haley walks through her experiences and insight in working to help people understand the truth and the importance of programs like SNAP.

I think you’ll not only enjoy this episode, I expect you’ll learn a great deal, too. I know I did!

To learn more about the history of SNAP read Kansas Appleseed’s report.

https://www.kansasappleseed.org/snap-report/

It's one of my favorite times of the year - the opening of Farmer's Market Season!

For this episode of That Podcast in Hutch, we visit with my friend Kelli Snider-Short. She serves on the board of the Reno County Farmer's Market and is the market's media manager.

Saturday, May 3 is opening day of the market, so it was a perfect time to visit about the benefits of shopping local and supporting small business. And there's nothing more local or small about buying your food from the farmer's market.

As you'll hear Kelli explain, each producer has been directly involved in growing the food you purchase. Whether it's vegetables and leafy greens, honey, meat, bread, or hand-crafted toys, the Farmer's Market is a dynamic place where value is found in a number of ways.

If you're a regular Farmer's Market shopper, listening to Kelli will get you pumped for opening day. If you're new to the market, she'll help you understand why so many people love spending Saturday mornings at the corner of 2nd and Washington.

For more information about the Reno County Farmer's Market, visit https://www.rcfmks.com/