by Reese Harpool, summer intern
The Texas Pork Producers Association Junior Ambassador Team traveled to Washington, D.C., and Iowa as part of the ambassador program from July 19-25. Both returning and new ambassadors participated on the tour. Throughout the week, ambassadors participated in educational sessions, industry tours and networking opportunities designed to help them gain a broader perspective of the pork industry and strengthen their skills as advocates for agriculture. The National Tour takes place every other year and allows junior ambassadors to experience the pork industry from a national perspective while developing leadership skills and industry connections that will serve them throughout their careers.
The first half of the trip was spent in Washington, D.C., where ambassadors gained firsthand experience with agricultural policy and advocacy efforts at the national level. The group met with staff from the National Pork Producers Council to learn more about current policy issues and legislative priorities impacting pork producers across the country. Ambassadors then traveled to the American Farm Bureau Federation, where they received updates on the economic outlook for agriculture, the farm bill and Farm Bureau’s industry relations efforts before touring the organization’s headquarters. Later that afternoon, ambassadors visited the U.S. Department of Agriculture to learn about the many agencies and career opportunities within USDA. The day concluded with a tour of the House Agriculture Committee offices, provided by past junior ambassador Harper Parson.
The group’s final full day in Washington, D.C., began with breakfast alongside the JBS lobbying team, where ambassadors learned more about government affairs and advocacy from the packing sector’s perspective. Then, ambassadors spent the morning on Capitol Hill meeting with members of Congress and congressional staff to discuss issues important to pork producers and agriculture.
After wrapping up their time in Washington, D.C., the team traveled to Iowa to experience the pork industry from a different perspective. Their first stop was Iowa State University, where ambassadors visited the Iowa State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and learned about the work underway in the Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Swine Medicine Education Center. The ambassadors also received an overview of the Iowa State Animal Science Department and the Iowa Swine Industry Center to learn more about the research and educational opportunities available within the university.
The ambassadors then traveled to the National Pork Board headquarters in Des Moines, where they learned more about producer engagement, traceability, swine health strategy and national promotion efforts. The team also met with representatives from the National Pork Producers Council and the Iowa Pork Producers Association to better understand how these organizations support producers at the national and state levels.
The week concluded with a tour of the JBS plant in Marshalltown, where ambassadors had the opportunity to see the pork production process firsthand and gain a greater appreciation for the many individuals and sectors involved in bringing pork products to consumers.
Throughout the week, ambassadors gained valuable insight into the policy, production, research, and promotion sectors of the pork industry while strengthening relationships with industry leaders and professionals from across the country. The experience provided students with a broader understanding of the industry’s challenges and opportunities and reinforced the importance of advocacy and leadership within agriculture.
“The National Tour allows our ambassadors to see the pork industry from every angle, from policy and advocacy in Washington, D.C., to research, production and promotion in Iowa,” said Riley Reep, director of communications, programming and operations for the Texas Pork Producers Association. “Our goal is for these students to return home with a deeper understanding of the industry, meaningful professional connections, and the confidence to serve as visible advocates for pork production and agriculture in their own communities.”
To learn more about the ambassador program, click here.