Jesse McCurry is a native Kansan and Executive Director of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and Producers Association. He is president of the Kansas Agriculture Alliance and former graduate and board member of KARL. A Kansas State graduate, he wrote his masters thesis on the 2002 farm bill. Jesse’s career includes stints with Kansas Department of Commerce, KCOE ISOM and Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Jesse works with a dedicated staff and board to help build and connect better opportunities for Kansas sorghum farmers here and around the world. He and his wife Rhonda and four children live near Colwich, KS. An advocate, sales and marketing professional, and dedicated Chiefs fan – Jesse is proud to work for the best – farmers. 

Adam York is a southwest Kansas native and Director of Programs for the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and Producers Association. Here, Adam serves as strategic planner and chief implementer for programs, events, and projects, leveraging grassroots engagement and organizational visibility for both entities, which allow growers to harness their collective voice and enhance and guide their industry.

Before joining Kansas Grain Sorghum, Adam worked nearly a decade for Members of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives, Kansas delegation, where he focused on federal agriculture, energy, tax, and international trade policies. There, he also gained experience directing diverse teams of legislative analysts as well as overseeing systems to manage relationships with hundreds of thousands of constituent contacts. Adam benefits from his grain and cattle upbringing and holds a BA in History from Kansas State University. He resides on his property north of Manhattan, KS, with his growing family.

Reed Middleton is a sophomore at Kansas State University studying Agriculture Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership and serving on staff as the Kansas Grain Sorghum Conservation & Sustainability Fellow. Reed will spend her summer working with sorghum farmers in central and western Kansas to collect information on and document sustainability practices. Reed has been an active participant in 4-H and FFA, holding numerous leadership positions during her time as a member and helping coach a Kansas Association National Officer Candidate in 2019. At K-State she is a College of Agriculture Ambassador and a student intern for the Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems Lecture Series. Off campus, she is a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and serves in the preschool room at her church in Manhattan.

Reed was raised in Eastern Oregon with her parents, brother, and extended family. She moved to Kansas to attend K-State in 2018. Over the course of her fellowship, she is excited for the opportunity to travel the state to meet with farmers to observe conservation and sustainability practices.