Young leaders in agriculture attended Corn Congress in Washington, D.C., last week to learn more about U.S. agricultural policy, meet with policy leaders and take part in Corn Congress with corn grower leaders from across the country.
Each summer, corn grower leaders and staff from state and national corn associations gather in Washington D.C. for a series of action team and committee meetings, visits with their respective state’s Congressional delegation and the semi-annual Corn Congress.
The Nebraska Corn Board sponsored nine delegates to partake in the second annual Leadership Mission after being selected through an application process to attend the Corn Congress. Delegates consisted of young agricultural leaders from the LEAD program and FFA.
The delegates included the following with College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources or other UNL connections: Keith Borer of Elgin, a 2008 agricultural economics graduate; Nicole D’Angelo of Auburn, Calif., an animal science grad now working on her master’s in applied science; Kerry McPheeters of Gothenburg, a mechanized systems management student; Andy Method of Decatur, an agronomy student; Joel Miller, a graduate student; Glen Ready of Scribner, an agricultural economics student; and Courtney Spilker of Beatrice, an agricultural education student.
While in Washington, D.C., delegates met with federal agencies, national agricultural cooperators and associations, engaged in international trade policy discussions, participated in congressional visits and networked with industry leaders. They also had a tour with leadership mission delegates from Iowa and Ohio. As a group, they toured the Delmarva region and observed agriculture at Wye Angus, Arnold Vegetable Farms, cucumber harvest at Nagel Farm and Kenny Bros Grading Operation.
“The Corn Congress Leadership Mission was very insightful,” said Morgan Zumpfe, Nebraska Corn Board intern from Friend and past leadership mission participant. Zumpfe helped coordinate the mission and attended the event with the delegation in Washington, D.C. “Visiting a cucumber harvest, getting to question the people who determine our laws, and experiencing corn industry leaders from all states working cooperatively helped us realize how complex agriculture is.”
“I am very glad to have been given this opportunity. As someone interested in ag policy and in advocating for our farmers, this opportunity has allowed me to network with some of the key policy makers and advocates in the ag industry,” said Ready. “Nebraska Corn Board and the National Corn Growers Association have been an integral part in giving me the opportunities, and I am incredibly grateful that I have had the chance to develop skills to better serve our state.”
Upon returning from the tour, delegates will submit a report of activities to the board and submit a blog post to be featured on the Nebraska Corn Kernels blog.
“The Corn Congress trip broadened my understanding of the ground roots process that the national and state corn growers and Nebraska Corn Board has available for Nebraska producers to have a voice in Washington,” said Borer, LEAD participant from Elgin. “The trip helped me understand the many parts of the U.S. government and all of the different forces pulling our elected representatives in different directions. We must be active voices to our representatives to ensure they represent Nebraska’s farm economy well.”
The Nebraska Corn Board’s market development, research, promotion and education programs are funded and managed by Nebraska corn farmers. Producers invest at a rate of 1/2 of a cent per bushel of corn sold.