STL to DCA to LNK

As I wrapped up the last few weeks of my internship and moved back to Lincoln, I reflected on how quickly this summer has gone. There has been so many things to learn here at NCGA. There is no way I could learn about everything the organization does in just 10 weeks. The last few weeks of my internship have been filled with wrapping up projects in the office and traveling to Corn Congress in Washington D.C.

I had the opportunity to visit communication organizations outside of the office to learn about different aspects of the communications industry. While still in St. Louis I visited the Osborne Barr office, an agricultural communications agency. They have many clients including NCGA, the National Soybean Board, Monsanto, Morton Buildings, and many others. I learned about different projects they do for these organizations. In Washington D.C., I continued my learning by going on a tour of the Washington Post. This was a great experience to learn how WP is incorporating new technology into the way they share news to keep it relevant even as print newspapers become a thing of the past in a tech savvy world.

Corn Congress was an amazing way for me to expand my understanding of the organizational structure of NCGA and my knowledge of corn. I spent time in meetings with the Freedom to Operate Action team. This team focuses on government policy and other items that affect farmer’s access to new biotechnology, pesticides, and other technology that makes corn operations more profitable and sustainable. I learned about the development process for new biotechnology products and the regulation process after it is developed, both in the Untied States and abroad. I also enjoyed attending Corn Congress sessions where delegates voted on resolutions to add to the policy book and attended to other business. It was interesting for me to learn about the priorities of corn farmers and what they think is important to include as a national policy. While in D.C. I also got to visit some Nebraska Congressmen, meet staff from some national ethanol organizations, and listen to a speech from the Ambassador of Mexico to the Untied States on his opinion and work on NAFTA renegotiations.

While wrapping up my time in St. Louis I attended a Cardinals baseball game, enjoyed a giant Fourth of July celebration in Forest Park, and visited some beautiful state parks south of the city including my favorite, Elephant Rocks State Park. While in D.C. I did some sightseeing including some stops on the National Mall and a stop outside the White House to watch some street performers. The White House was only a few blocks from our hotel!





This summer has been a truly wonderful experience for me to learn how a national organization works and experience living in a big city for the first time. It has helped me to determine what I want to do after graduation from college and to discover some things I don’t want to do as a career. I am thankful for the caring individuals I worked with and the passionate farmers I met during my time at NCGA.

Renae Sieck
National Corn Growers Association,
National Office 632 Cepi Drive
Chesterfield, MO 63005
Office: 636.733.9004