Update from Will Feucht (Iowa State)

This semester, I have the opportunity to intern with the policy team at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) in Arlington, VA. Having completed fourteen weeks, it’s fair to say it has been a great experience thus far, even during these unprecedented times. NASDA’s members are the directors, secretaries, and commissioners of agriculture at the state level. Having the wide, diverse landscape of the United States represented through these individuals as a resource, NASDA is able to make informed and intelligent proposals to federal officials when advocating for U.S. farmers and ranchers. Through my work with the policy team at NASDA, I have researched and sat in on hearings related to hemp, trade enforcement, and rural broadband. My experiences have granted me opportunities to further my knowledge in these areas of interest, but also the legislative and regulatory processes. Additionally, the opportunity to meet our members and their staff at our winter policy conference provided me an inside look at the daily decision making involved in operating a state department of agriculture. I even had the opportunity to sit in on the Midwest region’s meeting, where the committee discussed in depth the propane supply chain, and how to mitigate risk in a situation like the 2019 harvest shortage. Overall, the internship has provided a means for me to grow professionally through relationships, and academically and intellectually through research processes and policy strategies.