Kansas Department of Agriculture

Mike Beam was appointed secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture by Governor Laura Kelly in January 2019 and confirmed in April.

Beam came to KDA following 38 years of experience in association management for the Kansas Livestock Association. He has served as the Executive Director of the Ranchland Trust of Kansas, an affiliate of KLA, for 15 years.

He has dedicated his career to assisting farmers and ranchers to advance their policy and public relations needs and in building highly visible, responsive and respected organizations. In his role at KLA he participated and led coalitions in strategizing and implementing legislative and regulatory initiatives.

Beam began his career as a County 4-H and Youth Extension Agent in Dickinson County, following his graduation from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and industry. He began at KLA in 1980 as a field representative before being named Executive Secretary of Cow-Calf/Stocker Division in 1983, and in later years he became Senior Vice President at KLA. He began as Executive Director of Ranchland Trust of Kansas in 2003.

His responsibilities at KLA allowed him to serve on several statewide committees and task forces, including Governor Brownback’s Flint Hills Working Group; the smoke management plan task force; the Kansas Technical Committee, advising USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service; the Ecotourism Steering Committee; a Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism task force regarding Kansas deer hunting laws; and the KDWPT Nongame Wildlife Advisory Council.
 
In addition to his professional duties at KLA, Beam has demonstrated his leadership as president of several state and regional organizations, including Partnership of Rangeland Trusts, Symphony in the Flint Hills, Agribusiness Council of Kansas City and Kansas Society of Association Executives.