Meet a KSA Board Member: Kendall Heiniger

A love for learning about agricultural policies

I joined the Kansas Soybean Association Board of Directors in Jan. 2021 to fulfill my responsibility as the Corteva Young Leader delegate from Kansas.

The Young Leader position on the board encompasses a three-year term. KSA is important because it furthers the interests of U.S. soybean farmers and gives us a voice. Since the KSA board members are farmers, these policy issues are personal. Those producers who choose to be involved are actively trying to improve farming policies, and that is fundamental to having successes in our operations.

I grew up in Overland Park, Kansas, and didn’t have much interaction with agriculture. No one in my close family was involved in agriculture. My biggest exposure to crops came from my grandmother’s neighbor who had a sweet corn patch that we would pick corn from. I attended Kansas State University to study Family Studies and Human Services with an emphasis in early childhood development, and earned a minor in Women’s Studies. K-State is where I met my husband, Austin – we were both freshmen in the same biology class. Following graduation, I taught preschool in Topeka up until our oldest son, Caleb, now 10, was born; and I then became a stay-at-home mom. We also have sons Jackson, 6, and Simon, 5.

We returned to the farm in June 2015 to operate Heinco, Inc. with Austin’s family. That prompted me to start learning more about farming. I first became acquainted with Kansas Soybean through the Emerging Leaders Academy when I participated in their fifth class. I enjoy advocating for agriculture and researching different policies that are happening to see how they impact farmers. I continue to be a stay-at-home mom for our full-time farming family, and I provide support to Austin on the farm in various ways. I am also a substitute teacher, am homeschooling Caleb and I coach the Hiawatha swim team and have coached some soccer. We attend Topeka Bible Church.