When I first became interested in agricultural policy, I did not realize how many people, places and perspectives would shape the story. My interest started during my previous internship with Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, while researching the farm bill. As I dug into the congressional research briefs, previous farm bills and H.R 1, I realized agricultural policy is about farmers, advocates, innovation and stewardship that keep our country running every day.
That interest was also deeply personal. Before policy entered the picture, I spent high school summers working at Blooming Glen Farm, an organic vegetable farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I helped manage greenhouses, pack shares for our weekly CSA and work collaboratively with agricultural workers employed through the H-2A program. Long before I understood complexities of agricultural policy, I learned firsthand how much work, care and resilience go into producing food. Those experiences planted the seed that eventually grew into a passion. This summer at NASDA allowed me to connect those experiences in exciting and fruitful ways.
As NASDA's summer policy intern, every project I worked on showed me a different piece of American agriculture. I had the opportunity to create tracking documents for New World screwworm movement restrictions, helping monitor issues with significant implications for animal health and interstate commerce. I researched farms and worked collaboratively with members to identify family farms that have operated continuously for more than 250 years as part of preparations for the Great American State Fair and the nation's 250th anniversary celebration. One of my favorite experiences was helping host the Nuffield Scholars. Meeting agricultural experts and leaders from around the world reinforced how connected our food systems have become while simultaneously highlighting the unique aspects of American agriculture.
I'm thankful to Patrick Wade and Logan Moss on the policy team for listening to my interests and connecting me with coalition meetings, EPA conversations and Hill days that aligned with them. Through Lunch and Learns, policy meetings, and Senate farm bill briefings, I gained a deeper appreciation for the complexity of agricultural policy and the bipartisan collaboration required to move it forward. Whether the topic was sustainability, trade, animal health, or water policy, every conversation showed me that policy is built through trust and a willingness to listen.
I think what surprised me most this summer was not just how much I learned about agriculture, but how welcomed I felt by the agricultural community. From my very first day, the NASDA staff invested in me, answered my questions, encouraged my curiosity and trusted me with meaningful work. Their mentorship showed me what thoughtful, servant-minded leadership looks like. Through NASDA and its members, I found a community that genuinely wants young professionals to succeed and is willing to help them get there.
My next chapter will begin in the fall with the Alabama Water Institute, where I am blessed to have been selected as the inaugural Crimson to Capitol Fellow. In this role, I will work part time for the Institute while completing my senior year at the University of Alabama before heading to the Hill for a year of full-time work. As I prepare for this fellowship, I know that this internship has fundamentally shaped the kind of public servant I hope to become. Water policy and agriculture policy are inseparable, and I am excited to continue building on everything I have learned this summer. I leave with a stronger understanding of the challenges facing agriculture but, even more importantly, with tremendous optimism for its future.
Mostly, I leave with an overwhelming appreciation for America's farmers, ranchers and producers. Their work is often unseen, but it touches every single American every single day. They are innovators, conservationists, entrepreneurs and stewards of our land. It has been a privilege to spend a summer supporting the departments of agriculture that support them. I arrived at NASDA eager to learn about agricultural policy. I leave inspired by the people behind it and grateful for the relationships I've built. While there is still so much to learn, I know I won't be learning alone. Thanks to the incredible mentors, teammates and partners I found at NASDA, I move forward with confidence, purpose and a community that I know will continue cheering me on.
