Vice President, Membership and Public Relations
American Feed Industry Association
What does Ag Day mean to me? In order to answer this
question, I have to think back to my “summer vacations” visiting my
grandparent’s dairy farm in Prairie du Chien, Wis. As a city kid, when I
visited the farm I thought this is amazing and wonderful—the calves, hay bale
stacks, garden—there wasn’t a thing I
didn’t love. I saw how hard my grandparents and uncles worked every day and
thought, this is what I want to do. They were proud of what they did and ate
from what they could grow and raise on the farm.
When I went to college, I thought there was only one answer
for me—veterinary school! It turns out I was blessed that was not the path I
took. I graduated with a degree in meat and animal science and went to work for
a company that manufactured milk replacers for livestock. I quickly discovered the
road I turned down was the right one for me—working in an office, getting to
solve problems every day and doing what I love by being closely connected to
agriculture.
I’ve continued down this path, working for a few companies
in the animal feed industry, in international agriculture development and now
working in Washington, D.C., for an association representing the interests of
companies making animal and pet food.
Living in the Washington, D.C., area is quite a change from
the rolling hills of Wisconsin. While I still love cheese and the Green Bay
Packers, I have the opportunity to represent companies that work with farmers and
ranchers each and every day. Helping our members tell their story to Congress
and regulatory agencies is just as important today as working directly with
farmers. Fewer and fewer people are working directly on the farms and therefore
fewer people in Washington, D.C., appreciate what has is done to provide
healthy and nutritious food to Americans and many other parts of the world.
So this city kid certainly appreciates today’s farmers and
ranchers and remembers the hard work of my family and my many farmer friends
who are tirelessly working every single day to help put safe, nutritious food
on my table for my family. Thank you, grandma and grandpa. Thank you to all the
great farmers and ranchers in the U.S. and around the world.
