One week ago today, I was still battling the not-feeling-so-good problem. I was also on my way to Washington, DC to take part in the festivities surrounding the 40th anniversary Ag Day. I had no idea what to expect. US Custom Harvesters had signed on as an “Ag Day Partner” earlier this year and I was looking forward to being a part of the group of people who are working hard at making the public aware of where their food comes from.

A REAL Irish meal…corned beef, cabbage, potatoes & carrots – and Guinness.

Sunday was St. Patrick’s Day. And, because we were staying at the Phoenix Park Hotel (which is also part of the DC Dubliner Irish Pub) we HAD to go there for supper after we landed! Kent and I dropped off our bags and headed downstairs to get a bit of Irish grub, drink and entertainment. For their special day, the restaurant (as we know it) removes all the tables and allows the entire area to become one VERY large bar. The restaurant is moved to the hotel’s ballroom (which isn’t really all that big). A new memory was created by being a part of something as Irish as this on St. Patrick’s Day! The entertainment came directly from Ireland and it was AMAZING! Because I still wasn’t feeling all that great, I excused myself from the festivities at a reasonable hour. The rest of the guys…not so much. The next morning, I was glad I had!

Monday was the beginning of a full week of activities, meetings and being on “The Hill”. The first activity of the Ag Day celebrations began with “Farm to Fork Politics: An insider’s look at the year ahead for food and agriculture”. This was my first gathering of like-minded Ag people in one room. I was humbled and honored to be a part of this…and it just got better! This was a gathering of people you only hear about in the news. Sara Wyant of Agri-Pulse moderated a panel discussion featuring J.B. Penn, Chief Economist, John Deere; Dr. Keith Collins, former Chief Economist, USDA; and B. Hudson Riehle, Senior Vice President of the Research and Information Services Division, National Restaurant Association. I have to admit, a lot of what they were talking about went right over my head but some did not and I found it very interesting to hear a different segment of Ag. The day was foggy, rainy and yucky but even that muffled view of the Capitol from the large window in the room was moving. And to think I was part of it!

The event moved from a panel discussion to a time to mingle with the crowd and meet people whom you’ve only heard about in the news or names you’ve seen in the media.

Erika and Chris explaining why it’s important to engage people in discussion about where their food comes from.

March 19 was the actual day set aside to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ag Day. Our morning began with an overcrowded room of familiar faces (only because of the evening before) at The Sewall-Belmont House & Museum. “USFRA (U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance) Food Dialogues: Capitol Hill Briefing on the New Language of Food and Modern Agriculture” was the title of the special event featuring a new perspective on food culture today led by farmers and ranchers. This is where we heard from Chris Galen (Senior Vice President of Communications National Milk Producers Federation), Katie Pratt (Illinois corn and soybean farmer USFRA Faces of Farming & Ranching winner), and Erika Poppelreiter (Kansas corn, soybean and stocker beef-cattle farmer Ketchum Farming and ranching expert). I thoroughly enjoyed listening to these “normal” people talking about their life with the rest of us Ag Nerds. Erika had a whole slug of IT issues and yet she was able to smile and wave…smile and wave. I have to give her a lot of credit for making those issues appear oh-so-ever-easy to get through.  

From the morning’s briefing, we moved to the House of Representative’s “side” of the Capitol for a “Mix-and-Mingle Luncheon” at the Cannon Caucus Room.  This event opened with Orion Samuelson talking a little bit about Ag Day and what we could look forward to with the luncheon. He ended his opening with one of his traditional Ole’ and Lena jokes…his famous trademark. Before he left the podium, though, he introduced Congressman Frank Lucas, Chairman of the Agriculture Committee. We also listened to the Outstanding Young Farmer honorees. To be in the same room as some of these “greats” was a humbling experience. And, the more we saw these same faces, the more at ease I was around them.  The buffet meal provided the people in the room plenty of time to chit chat with those around them and talk about the reason we were in DC – other than attending the Ag Day festivities. I even gathered enough nerve to approach Erika, shake her hand, and let her know how impressed I was with her ability to make it through the IT difficulties earlier in the day. (I think I might have convinced her that she should come speak at our USCHI convention next March.) I know if I were younger and had the opportunity to do what she and Katie are doing…I’d do it!

The final activity for the day wasn’t until 5:00 p.m. So…what did we do next? Well, we hiked our way clear to the top of the Capitol Building – of course! Thanks to Dan knowing people, we were able to get a special tour of the Capitol which included going to the top. We later found out that 12,000 people would tour the Capitol but only 40 might make the trip to the top. Aren’t we just the lucky ones! Thank you, Dan and Rachel!! This was absolutely the best view in the city! And…something I NEVER expected. As I found out later in the evening, even Sara Wyant hasn’t been to the top of the Capitol. 🙂

This is a close up of the painting that’s on the dome of the Capitol. I can’t remember her name but she has something to do with Agriculture (that’s all that mattered).

The tour guide suggested that we avoid making ourselves known to those on the floor. He didn’t want them to see us and wonder how they could take the tour too. It’s who you know…

This gives you a good idea just how large that painting is.

The East side of the Capitol looking towards the Supreme Court and The Library of Congress.

“The guys in the blue shirts”

The young man looking out over the city (wearing the suit) is singing a traditional Irish melody. Yes, he is originally from Ireland.

Can’t get any higher than this point. Those four lights are the ones that shine while Congress is in session. They were on til the wee hours of the night while we were there.

The day ended with a fabulous meal in the USDA building. Orion Samuelson did the honor of introducing U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

We listened to Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan. She even mentioned the U.S. Custom Harvesters a couple of times! We are proud to have her as the spokesperson for “The Great American Wheat Harvest” movie!!

The winning 2013 Ag Day Video was created by Lebo Molefe, a 10th grader from Metea Valley High School, Aurora, IL. Watch it and you’ll be amazed at how she did it – I know I was!

The winner of the 2013 National Ag Day essay contest, Whitney Bowman of Stonewall Jackson High School (Quicksburg, VA), was present that evening and read her winning essay to the crowd. It was easy to see why she was the winner!

Click here to view the winning video and read the essay. Our future is in great hands if these two are any indication of what’s to come!

Our ad in the evening’s program. (Thanks Matt!!)

Pretty sure the girls loved the evening as much as the rest of us did! I’m glad they got to experience it!

Callie, Teresa & Taylor – fellow Ag Nerds!

IT WAS A GOOD DAY…A GOOD AG DAY!