There Is No Place

By Glen Ready, National Corn Growers Association Intern.

After a summer in D.C., it’s great to be back!

There is no place like Nebraska. We’ve heard that a million times, and I’m sure it will be said a million more. That doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity that I was granted this summer, and am humbled by the experience. It has granted me a unique perspective of our wonderful industry. Being back in the good life, I have had a chance to reflect on my time in the nation’s capital. The agriculture industry, from individual farmers to large companies and organizations, invest so much in the future of agriculture. From your local 4-H program, FFA, and scholarships and events to internships and agriculture policy in D.C. and beyond, these groups provide incredible opportunities for young people. This is evident in the opportunity the Nebraska Corn Board granted me this summer.

This summer was an incredible opportunity, but there is something to be said for coming home to our great state. Before leaving for Washington, D.C. I was incredibly excited and never once thought of missing home. Flying back and landing in Omaha, it hit me just how important this place and this industry is to me, and how happy I was to be back. Seeing the fields of corn, helping out at home on the farm for a few days, they meant so much more to me after seeing all the work people hundreds of miles away do to make sure our day-to-day work can continue. There is no question that there “is no place like Nebraska”, but this is true partially because of the work that is done outside of our state borders, whether in Washington, D.C. or around the world.

I started out with an interest in agriculture policy because it was a unique field that so many of us forget about as we go about the work of production agriculture. I have learned more this summer than I ever could have hoped to do in a classroom. I want to take this opportunity again to thank the Corn Board, because the organization does some great work to let students like me gain a better understanding of just how vast this industry is, and how we can play a role beyond what we see in production agriculture or with large agriculture corporations. Everyone can play a unique role in this industry, and this is the case whether you are in the great state of Nebraska, or in Washington, D.C.

Got to take a step back and reflect on my last night in the district.