The Texas Pork Junior Ambassadors (TPJA) traveled to Washington D.C. and Des Moines, Iowa, from July 24-31 to gain an insight into the pork industry from a national perspective through the 2024 TPJA Industry Tour. Our 10 students from across the state participated in numerous educational sessions, tours, and networking events. Each year, the program takes students on an industry tour (alternating in-state and national locations) to support efforts in creating visible advocates for the pork industry.
Day 1: TPJA Takes Over Capitol Hill
To begin the tour, TPJA members met with staff from the National Pork Producers Council to discuss current policy issues that impact the pork industry. The group visited with staff members from multiple departments to gain an understanding of what topics they should discuss with legislators on the Hill.
TPJA members then divided into two teams about their hometowns to meet with congressmen and their staff. In addition, the group met with Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz, plus members of their staff. First-year ambassador, Harper Parson of Devine, said that the first day kickstarted a pivotal week for himself and the TPJA program.
“The amount of faith invested in us was monumental,” Parson said. “Having the chance to speak with legislative officials is something I will always remember.”
Day 2: Deepening Our Understanding of the Agricultural Industry
Following a busy day on the Hill, ambassadors met with staff members from the American Farm Bureau Federation. During their visit, students gained a further understanding of how they advocate for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities, specifically with grassroots lobbying. Then, the group traveled to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to learn about different agencies and opportunities. Ambassadors met with members from the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS), Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Day 3: Sightseeing in Washington D.C.
While in D.C., the ambassadors experienced several national monuments, museums, and tours. Specifically, the group toured the United States Holocaust Museum and the Smithsonian Museum of American History. To cap off our time in D.C., we completed the Monuments by Moonlight tours where they witnessed all the monuments across the city.
Day 4: Boots on the Ground in Iowa
After a travel day to Iowa, the group went to the Seaboard-Triumph Foods packing plant in Sioux City. The ambassadors toured the entire plant witnessing the process from harvest to shipping products to enter the food chain. From there, we traveled to Ames to tour the newly built Iowa State University Feed Mill and Grain Complex. To round out our tour across the state, we headed back to Des Moines, for our final day of the 2024 industry tour.
Day 5: A Day with the National Pork Board
For our final day, the ambassadors learned from the National Pork Board staff members. Students learned more about traceability, international marketing, domestic marketing, and how to craft key messages when communicating for our industry. We also met with our friends from the Iowa Pork Producers Association to learn about their efforts within the state.
To cap off our week, we had dinner and networked with the NPB board of directors and senior leaders. Second-year ambassador, Brooke Reininger of St. Hedwig, said the networking session might have been her favorite part of the tour.
“I haven’t had that big of a beaming smile I couldn’t wipe off my face in a while,” Reininger said. “I think some of that is because you can see the joy and faith they have in their eyes as they see the love we had for being involved.”
Moving forward, the ambassadors have big plans to help continue our association’s mission of advocacy, education, and promotion for the pork industry. Riley Reep, director of youth and communications, expressed her admiration for these students and the standard they have set for the program.
“The future of our industry is bright with students like these,” Reep said. “We are beyond proud of our junior ambassadors and their efforts thus far. We hope to continue to provide experiences such as this for other students in many years to come.”
For more information about the Texas Pork Junior Ambassador program, click here.