USDA: A Farm Team Worth Playing For
My first three weeks interning for USDA have been extremely
interesting and enjoyable. A
native of Austin, Texas, I grew up spending most weekends on my grandparents’
farm, the same farm where we currently raise Texas Longhorn cattle. Instead of
returning to Austin after the baseball season, I came to Washington, DC to take
advantage of this great opportunity to learn about both agriculture and the
government while also making a difference.
I knew USDA played a significant role in the lives of
farmers and ranchers, but I continue to be amazed by the breadth of programs
and agencies here. Rural
Development, for example, does amazing work in rural communities, from building
hospitals to improving water supplies to increasing the availability of
broadband internet. I also have a
greater appreciation for USDA’s role in disease and pest control and its
significant impact on the success of our country’s agricultural output and
economy over the years.
In addition to learning about USDA, I have been afforded some
great opportunities through my internship. This week I went to a Tribal Leaders Reception for the
National Congress of American Indians.
I met several interesting people, both tribal leaders and people who
work in other departments of the government. The reception was held in the Smithsonian National Museum of
the American Indian. It was my
first time visiting the museum and reminded me of all the great museums and
government buildings in Washington, DC.
I have been to a few of them now, with my favorite two being the Library
of Congress and the National Archives.
I’m looking forward to more great experiences in the weeks to come.
Ross Ohlendorf, a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is spending part of his off-season at the United States Department of Agriculture. A graduate of Princeton University, he is spending eight weeks as an intern with USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
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Posted:
11:44AM Nov 06, 2009
by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site |
Friday Nov 06, 2009
