Farm Bureau's Melinda Lee: “It’s rewarding to see youth so passionate about agriculture become so engaged in ag policy,”
Nineteen agriculture students at Wilmington College participated in the legislative process recently in Washington DC by lobbying their members of Congress in seeking a clarification of the Clear Water Act with regard to the definition of “waters of the U.S.”
(LEFT) Pictured clockwise are Sam Stratman, Kristine Culler, Brooke Weeks, Allison Knief, Bethany Dresback, Meghan Bruns, Maddie Fix, Ellen Short, Micaela Wright, Kalvin Butts and Trevor Shelley.
As the next generation of agriculturalists, many student have concerns that a broad expansion of federal Clear Water Act jurisdictions could interfere with producers’ ability to produce the nation’s — and much of the world’s — food supply.
The group was led by Monte Anderson, professor of agriculture; Corey Cockerill, associate producer of communication arts and agriculture; Sam Stratman, a Capitol Hill veteran and adjunct faculty member at WC; and Michael Snarr, professor of political science. Collectively, the group has a great deal of experience in teaching students how to lobby their elected representatives.
Sophomore agriculture student Allison Knief agreed it was a valuable, hands-on learning experience learning lobbying techniques and meeting with officials from the American Farm Bureau, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Friends Committee on National Legislation and Canadian Embassy, as well as members of Congress and their staffs.
“Traveling to Washington allowed me to learn more about how DC functions and how members of our generation can give agriculture a voice for our hometown (concerns),” she said.
This is the first of two WC student groups of agriculture students that will lobby in Washington DC this fall sponsored by the College and Clinton County Farm Bureau. A second group will visit the Nation’s Capital later this month and lobby on the topic of renewable energy.
Melinda Lee, county field staff with the Farm Bureau has enjoyed working with the College students on issues that are of special interest to the agriculture community.
“It’s rewarding to see youth so passionate about agriculture become so engaged in ag policy,” she said. “Farm Bureau is proud to invest in youth involved in agriculture because they are the future.”