Madison Kreifels – Nebraska Corn – Lincoln

Summer Update

I am very grateful for my time in the Communications and Event Management Internship with Nebraska Corn! So far, most of my time has been spent learning the new programs to effectively communicate with growers throughout Nebraska.

One of my larger, consistent projects is the weekly updates from both the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. I have had to learn two new programs, Constant Contact and MailChimp, to send out weekly email updates highlighting policy updates, corn progress and any other necessary information. So if you are one of the growers that receive these emails, chances are I’m the one who sent it out!

I have also worked on a project where I review survey data collected from growers, putting their feedback in a more visually appealing format that is easier to analyze during board meetings. This project was fascinating because I reviewed direct feedback we can implement moving forward within Nebraska Corn. I’ve also been creating a social media calendar focused on educational facts and highlighting the return on investment growers receive from Nebraska Corn.
On the event management side of my internship, I have been planning the 2024 August Agriculture Tour for the Nebraska Corn and Soy Ambassador Program. With this, I have been communicating with staff, ambassadors and different tour locations to create an agenda for this year’s tour. I have also been reaching out to sponsors and gathering their logos for the annual Corn Grower Open Golf tournament, also taking place this August. I’m looking forward to continuing to work on these projects to prepare for these events!

I recently was able to define my “big project” for the summer, which will revolve around growing membership for the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. With this, my end goal is to highlight grower testimonials to the association and grow membership by 45 members! I am eager to begin communicating directly with growers!

Outside of this internship, I also run my own agricultural communications/videography business, InfoFilm. With this, I showcase the story behind agriculture producer operations. One of my larger challenges has been getting into a new routine with time management, efficiency and balance between my time with Nebraska Corn and my business, but this experience has given me the opportunity to learn these new skills as well.
Overall, I am thankful for my time spent with Nebraska Corn and the new skillset that I am building. I am looking forward to the new opportunities that this internship will bring!

Summer Wrap Up

As I wrap up my internship with Nebraska Corn, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the corn industry and build relationships with growers throughout Nebraska!

I spent a good portion of time with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association’s membership drive. I created and scheduled social media posts, interviewed growers for their testimonies and analyzed survey data. These posts are scheduled until the end of September, which is when the membership drive will end. This project has been a great way to let my creative side out in the workspace, which I really appreciated! I am eager to see the outcomes of this project!

More recently, a lot of my time has been spent preparing for the Nebraska Corn Growers Association’s Corn Grower Open golf tournament and other local events. This includes creating and mailing invites to current and past members, connecting with sponsors, preparing Nebraska Corn’s promotional items, and answering any questions from growers! I’ve noticed that most farmers prefer a phone call over an email, which is something I appreciate and value!

Working with Nebraska Corn is giving me my first experience with event management, and I have enjoyed communicating with leaders in preparing for this busy season! I am grateful for the relationships and skillset that I have built with my time at Nebraska Corn, and am excited for my next steps as an agriculture communicator!

Thank you for the experience, Nebraska Corn!