Growing up in an Ohio grain farming family seven generations deep, Brooke Beam knew she wanted a career in agriculture. But what specifically? That was less clear cut.
When she started at Ohio State University’s college of food, agriculture and environmental sciences, she thought she might want to be a vet. But after being “exposed to a lot of other things,” she says, she pursued both a bachelor of science and master of science in agricultural communication and earned a doctorate in agricultural and Extension education in 2017. Now, she works as the agriculture and natural resources/community development educator for OSU Extension in Highland County, Ohio.
“Every day is different,” Beam says. “It really depends on who walks through the door.”
Some days she works with clientele on horticulture questions. Other days, it’s a group of farmers attending Beam’s courses on fertilizer and pesticide compliance or beef quality assurance. Beam also leads a nine-month program called Leadership Highland, through which community members, selected through application, visit and learn about different industries around the county.
One of her favorite projects has been the Germinate International Film Fest – an idea born out of her passion for video production and her research specialization in the public perception of the agriculture industry in entertainment. The inaugural event in 2019 drew more than 70 entries from around the globe and explored agriculture, natural resources and rural communities. Entries ranged from a fifth-grader showcasing how he raised his steer for the fair to a 90-minute documentary on pollinators. (The 2020 festival was canceled because of COVID-19.)
“Showing off the ag industry in so many different ways benefits everyone,” says Beam, who was first drawn to film to help depict agriculture more accurately. She also “helps people see farming in a new way” through The Southern Ohio Farm Show, a web video series she produces with her coworkers.
Beam was named a 2020 AgGrad 30 Under 30 for “the extra effort to move this industry forward,” according to AgGrad.com. “It can be hard for young people to get started in ag, so it’s nice to have that support,” she says.
Her time in FFA has also supported her career. “FFA gave me a lot of opportunities to explore different aspects,” she says, adding that she’d encourage current students to “try something new, a part of ag you’re not familiar with. Being well versed in a lot of topics is a great asset to have.”
The American FFA Degree holder and former East Clinton FFA vice president uses the skills she learned not only in her job but also on the farm she purchased in 2011, where she grows corn and soybeans, and produces maple syrup. (Maple syrup production earned her a finalist position
for a National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Award in 2008.)
“Record keeping, welding, carpentry — these are all things I can use on the farm,” Beam says. “There is so much you can learn in FFA even if you just use it for trivia down the road.”
