Fellow Kansan,

Agriculture is the heartbeat of the Big First District. Each month, I highlight the life and work of Kansas ag heroes – the people who make our state the pilot light of America and who inspire me to continue fighting for Kansas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers. 

Yours in service,

Mann.House.Gov

Kansas Ag Hero of the Month:

Ann & Hal Sankey

For Ann and Hal Sankey, serving others isn’t an obligation or task—it’s a way of life. From the barns of their youth to boardrooms and volunteer crews today, they have spent decades giving their time, energy, and talents to support Kansas agriculture and strengthen the Kansas State Fair.

Ann grew up on a diversified family farm in Marshall County, just a few miles from the Nebraska line. Her family had commercial cow-calf pairs, registered Polled Herefords, and row crops, including milo and wheat. Like many Kansas farm kids, she got involved in 4-H and FFA early on and never looked back. Hal was raised on a multi-generational ranch in Reno County, where his family ran registered Angus and Simmental cattle and a backgrounding/summer grazing operation. He remains connected to the family ranch and is involved in the management and maintenance of the business.

Ann and Hal met through their shared love of livestock and went on to earn degrees in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. The two of them pursued careers in the beef industry, spending several years with Cargill, where they lived in cities like Atlanta, Dallas, Wichita, and San Antonio. Hal retired after 32 years with the Cargill Beef Leadership team, and now he enjoys advising and mentoring in the beef industry. Despite the places work took them, Ann and Hal never lost sight of their roots and committed to passing on to their future children the experiences they valued growing up. When the time was right, they moved back to Kansas and raised their family while providing the opportunity to raise and show cattle, as well as help with maintenance on the family ranch.

As former members of 4-H, Ann and Hal’s connection to the Kansas State Fair is deeply rooted. Ann exhibited Polled Herefords in her youth, and Hal showed Angus. They both competed in livestock judging teams, including workouts at the fair in college, building relationships that would last a lifetime. As their own children were finishing their 4-H and Junior Angus Association journeys, Ann joined the Grand Drive Committee and eventually became the committee’s chair. That role led to her appointment to the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation board in 2021.

From that moment on, Ann and Hal became all-in volunteers, taking on everything from committee work to behind-the-scenes setup. They’ve also helped shape the long-term vision for the fair, recognizing that the fair must keep pace with changing times: modernizing exhibits, embracing new technologies, and telling the story of agriculture in ways that resonate with today’s audience. At the same time, they are deeply committed to preserving agriculture as the anchor of the Kansas State Fair and ensuring every young person who walks through the gates has the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow. Ann also serves on the building committee and continues to support growth projects like the renovation of the Bison Arena. 

Ann and Hal are proud of what the Kansas State Fair has become, but they are not finished. Together, they’ve helped start and grow the Foundation’s Hats & Horses fundraiser, lent business insight to planning discussions, and routinely stayed late to clean up after the fair crowds had gone home. Their service reflects the kind of dedicated leadership that makes Kansas strong, not driven by a desire for recognition, but to serve the community and people around them.

Ann and Hal Sankey have led by doing—shaping generations of youth exhibitors and ensuring that the Kansas State Fair remains a cornerstone of our state’s agricultural identity.

Thank you, Ann and Hal, for your leadership, your humility, and your unwavering commitment to Kansas agriculture and the Kansas State Fair. It is an honor to serve you in Congress.

Do you know someone who is a Kansas Ag hero?

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