News Article –
To say that my time as the international trade intern at NASDA was unique is an understatement. They year of 2020 will be a time that no one will ever forget.
My time at NASDA started off with a bang as the day I started was the day that President Trump signed the Phase 1 Trade Agreement with China that thus looked to end an 18-month trade war. Within the newly signed trade deal, it looked like the US agriculture industry would also greatly benefit from this deal as it cited ways to boost US agriculture exports to China. Within the next few weeks more exciting news happened as the Senate passed the USMCA, and a few weeks later, President Trump would sign it.
It was an exciting time for those in agriculture but extremely so for those in the international agriculture trade industry. It held a lot of promise for our American Farmers and the exporting process. There was hope with the signing of the US-China Trade Deal and the USCMA that it would make 2020 a great year.
What we didn’t know was that the Spring of 2020 would forever be marked as the time the United States, and the entire world, would come to standstill as we all tried to do our part in slowing the spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global pandemic created a worldwide economic standstill, something that has never been heard of, and no one ever thought possible. Although the effects of COVID-19 have led to major disruptions in the international trade markets, some are questioning if this will cause nations to be less dependent on others. As the world is slowly and cautiously starting to open back up, most believe that the world will never go back to pre-outbreak norms, international trade included.
For us in the agriculture industry, I have come to love the term “still farming.” During this crazy, unprecedented time, the American farmers and ranchers are still doing their part in keeping Americans fed and right now I personally could not be any prouder to want to pursue a future career in agriculture.
Cierra Allen, NASDA International Trade Intern