Ben Baker is a Republican politician from Neosho, Missouri. He previously represented Missouri House District 160 from 2019 to 2025. Currently, he serves as the Director for USDA Rural Development in Missouri, a position to which he was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2025.

Notable achievements include serving as mayor and councilmember in Neosho; acting as Missouri state chair for the American Legislative Exchange Council; leading mission trips to India, Africa, and Central America; and serving as board president of Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center. He owns a small construction business specializing in artisan trim-work and is a lay minister and missionary.

Education and Political Experience

Education: Baker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ozark Bible Institute, where he also served as a former professor and dean of students.

Political Experience: Elected to the Missouri House in 2018 for a two-year term and re-elected subsequently, he served on committees including administrative rules, elementary and secondary education, downsizing state government, and economic development. Prior to the House, he was mayor and a councilmember in Neosho. He resigned from the House in 2025 to assume his current USDA role.