In Washington, D.C., Ag Day is a day when students, corporations, farmers, and other agriculture groups gather in the district to celebrate and share awareness of American agriculture. I am excited to be a part of a group of student delegates participating in National Ag Day, representing an organization called Agriculture Future of America (AFA).
AFA holds its Policy Institute in conjunction with National Ag Day. Participants in Ag Day, which consist of FFA, 4-H, NAMA and AFAers, fly in on Sunday and start Capitol Hill visit training that night and continue training on Monday. This is in preparation to visit legislators on Tuesday, National Ag Day.
Although I've partaken in Hill visits previously, I have learned a lot in the past couple of days. My biggest takeaways from training have been that:
- Hill visits are important; according to surveys conducted on legislators, actual visits with them are most effective, compared to emails, phone calls and letters to their offices. Being on the Hill is a great opportunity to share a message and have it make an impact!
- Making the visit personal will make it more memorable. A great analogy was shared today: you want your message to be like a cereal box. The front, your introduction and personal story, draws the listener in and makes the person want to read the back to see what you have to offer.
- Build a relationship. You may be seeing your legislator or legislative staff for the first time on a visit but it doesn't mean you can't be a resource on the topic you're there to visit about. Offer to be a resource back in your legislator's home territory. You never know when they might need you.
After supper we took a night tour of the National Mall.
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| Thomas Jefferson Memorial |
The symbolism and meaning behind the monuments is incredible. I find it amazing how the artists blended art and history to create such meaningful and powerful pieces of America.
Tomorrow we take the Hill!
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