Kaitlin Meiergerd – National Corn Growers Association – St. Louis

June Update

The past few weeks, a common question I have been asked time and time again is, “Where are you from?” This may seem like a simple question to answer, but my response often has a longer explanation. I start with sharing how I grew up in Northeast Nebraska, moved to Minnesota 10 years ago, and then eventually ended up back in Nebraska for college. Over the years, I have learned that any place can become a piece of home if you choose to reframe your mind in such a way. During my time in St. Louis, I have found a piece of home in the community of NCGA, the heart of its mission, and the quiet days in the office.

Starting my internship on May 19th, I was expectant, curious, and open to change. Within the first week of work, I was introduced to our St. Louis staff as well as our Washington DC staff, became familiar with our 6 action teams, engaged in weekly policy calls, and wrote our Corn Action News which gets released every Monday. I look forward to continuing to grow in relations with coworkers, gain a deeper understanding of our action teams, learn a LOT more about policy, and write weekly news releases during the next 8 weeks.

During my second week here, seven of my coworkers and I worked with MeetFilament, an organization that works to make meetings fun and efficient. This was a great opportunity to get out of the office, head downtown, and work together in a space that promoted healthy collaboration. During our time together, an artist drew visual representations of our thoughts which made for an engaging day of work.

After my regular 9-5 workday, I have found time to fill my schedule with adventure! I have hiked at two state parks, explored the Gateway Arch, took a visit to the St. Louis Zoo, and played pickleball with some new friends!

I am thankful the Nebraska Corn Board has provided this opportunity to work closely with NCGA staff. I look forward to learning from mentors, traveling to conferences, and creating helpful resources for the communications and education department here in St. Louis in the weeks ahead.

July Update

It seems as though the month of June has come and gone in the blink of an eye! Time really does fly by when you’re having fun.

As I reflect on my time with NCGA this month, I smile as I remember the impactful interactions I have had with farmers across the nation. One Friday, I was working from home when I decided to pick up the phone and call a farmer! This task had been on my to-do list for a couple of days, so I knew it had to be done, but I also wanted to be cognizant of the rain he was probably working around the whole week. I was greeted with a “Hello Kaitlin, it was on my list to call you back today so I’m glad you called!” It appeared we were both relieved to get this chance to connect with and learn from one another after days of phone tag. The 20-minute phone call gave me insight into the passion our U.S. corn growers have for sustainability, innovation and increasing demand for the industry. Thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with our grower members is an understatement.

A connection point was made with one of Nebraska’s own, Dan Wesely, a member of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Board. Dan was the first board member I connected with during the June Board Meeting at the St. Louis office. It was a joy to hear about his leadership positions with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association as well as his positive experiences farming corn and soybeans with his family in eastern Nebraska.

Later in the month, I got to connect with the other Dan of Nebraska at the Women & Mentors retreat, Dan Nerud! I had written about Dan in social media posts highlighting mental health awareness earlier in my internship, so it was great to finally meet him in person. Dan served as a male ally at the Women & Mentors Retreat in Chicago, Illinois. Although I was not placed in the same mentorship group as him, we still had the chance to connect throughout the retreat. Something the average person may not know about Dan is his birthday, but I do! I won’t share this information with everyone, but I’ll just say we both have fun celebrating in the winter!

The Women & Mentors Retreat was one for the books! After weeks of helping with background event details, it was a treat to see it all come to life. Farmers, industry professionals and sponsors traveled from across the nation to join in the mission of empowering women in agriculture. Capturing the event through photos and videos was at the forefront of my mind. I captured interviews with advanced women in agriculture -Jennifer Houston, the 2019 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President, Lori Stevermer, the Current Past President of National Pork Producers and Verity Ulibarri, the current Chairperson of the U.S. Grains Council. Stay on the lookout for a News of the Day article on the NCGA website to get a more in-depth review of the retreat!

I always like to end my journal entries by highlighting the amazing opportunities I have had outside of the office, thanks to this internship! My family was able to take a road trip from the great state of Minnesota to visit me. We had fun exploring the Gateway Arch and made time to visit the office.