Wyoming meets Washington, D.C.

Stress overwhelms me, as I pack business attire into a suitcase for a weeklong trip. Sadness fills me as each of my 3 guys gives me a hug as I leave the lambing sheds and wish them luck without me. Sorrow overcomes me as I drive away from my dogs, an occurrence that rarely, if ever happens. This may sound a bit dramatic, I know, but I am a home (ranch) body, especially during our busiest times of the year- lambing and fall works. Right now I am smack dab in the middle of shed lambing. As much as I dread pawning my work off on someone else and not being fully immersed in the coming of new baby lambs, the plane ticket is already bought. I’ve already committed myself to this incredible learning experience that will actually benefit my beloved ranch. So, Washington, D.C., here I come!

Last summer, I applied for and was accepted into Wyoming’s longest-running, state-wide leadership program for adults. Wyoming LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) is a 40 day program consisting of 9 seminars across Wyoming, including sitting in on legislation at our Capital, a seminar in Washington, D.C., and an international tour to which we are visiting Peru! We learn invaluable skills, many of which I have already been able to put into practice, such as public speaking and how to advocate for Ag at the government level. I have also become lifelong friends with the other 13 members of this year’s LEAD class. I will forever be grateful for this amazing opportunity, and the hard work and dedication that our director, Cindy, puts into each of us to become the best leaders we possibly can for our industries and state.

Seminar 6

National Study Tour

March 30-April 5, 2025

Washington, D.C.

Monday, March 31:

Today is our free day, to explore D.C. as we please before the real work begins. We all meet at the metro station first thing in the morning to get metro cards and learn how to ride the metro. The metro is an underground train system that drops you off in different locations throughout the city. It’s crazy to think how many people depend on this form of transportation and never even own or drive their own car! For being a “day off” we sure wake up early, get to bed late, walk a lot, and learn even more! (I must admit though, my roommate and I snuck off for a much needed afternoon nap…) We split off into groups depending on what we each want to see. I am in a group that walks around the entire Tidal Basin admiring the famous cherry blossoms in bloom and all of the surrounding buildings, memorials, and monuments. We all end up at the Smithsonian museums where we find lots of fossils from Wyoming and Lincoln County specifically. We have an amazing lunch and drinks at the Old Ebbitt Grill, and a fancy Italian feast later that night.

Tuesday, April 1:

Our first appointment of the trip is at the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) building. It is a huge stone building, crossing from one side of the street to the other, with more office rooms lining the countless hallways than one would think possible to fill. It also has a cafeteria where anyone and school children can go for lunch. Our first meeting is held in a room right next to the cafeteria which is booming at lunch time! This first meeting is with folks from the Foreign Ag Services which is so fascinating to learn about. Mr. Kim, an Economist/Foreign Service Officer, speaks to us about trade consisting of animal products- beef, dairy, pork, poultry. (I ask why he doesn’t mention lamb, and he says it’s so minute in comparison to the others which makes me sad.) We learn the top countries who receive exports from the U.S. in these products, which are greatly Japan, Mexico, Canada, Korea, and China. Mr. Tyler, a Trade Policy Officer with the Western Hemisphere Division, spoke to us about trade directly related with Peru since that is where we are going on our international trip. The next time you buy blueberries, grapes, or coffee, check to see where they are from, there’s a very good chance that they came from Peru! Dr. Kovich, a Science Advisor and Veterinarian, focuses on animal biotech, and largely spoke to us about genetic editing and livestock disease. We also got to meet a gal who works in the FAS who is from Wyoming, and of course, Cindy knew her family!

Next, we are escorted through the USDA building, around a beautiful indoor atrium filled with the different state’s flags, and past the office of our newly appointed Secretary of Agriculture. We get to meet with the Assistant Deputy Administrator with the Farm Service Agency, whose story brings me to tears, and makes me realize that you don’t have to have an agriculture background to be passionate about it. The Deputy Associate Administrator for Marketing and Regulatory Programs speaks to us about the Ag Marketing Service. Three folks within the Natural Resources Conservation Service then talk to us about the different programs and what they do. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the ones who leave their family farm/ranch to live and work in D.C. for the sake of their farm/ranch and others’.

From here, we take the metro to the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, where we meet with Congressman Nye, a Democrat from Virginia. This is where much research and compiling of information and studies is done to be able to give to the congressmen and women who do not have the time to fully research all of the issues on their own. We learned in part why our country’s politics have become so polarized, and I greatly appreciate Mr. Nye’s efforts in bringing the parties together and awarding those who work across party lines for the sake of our country. This discussion was a class favorite.

To end our long first day of information overload, we go on a night tour of the monuments. We get to see the White House, the US Capitol, the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Wow. Seeing these places lit up and in the quiet and dark of night is so powerful, especially the Veterans Memorials. After reading the book, “The Women” by Kristin Hannah, I have such a deep veneration and appreciation for the people who had to experience the Vietnam war. Seeing the far too many names lining the black granite wall and the statue of the women nurses who supposedly “weren’t in Vietnam” moved me to tears and mourning of all those precious lives.

Wednesday, April 2:

Wyoming Wednesday- where all the Wyoming people in D.C. gather into a room with our Senators Barrasso and Lummis, and Representative Hageman. Each of them individually speaks with each group, introducing ourselves and a main concern we’d like them to address. It’s a bit chaotic, but a neat setup to briefly network, not only with our Senators and Congresswoman, but with their staffers. During this time, I was able to meet with David, who works under Senator Lummis in D.C., and find out that he is going to be in Wyoming for a meeting about the H2A program which we use to bring in our sheepherders. Because of this networking opportunity, I am able to follow up with David and attend this meeting in Casper two weeks later.

After the rushed shuffling of people for group pictures, we make our way to Fogo De Chao, a Brazilian style restaurant where they cut chunks of beef, lamb, pork, and chicken directly from a skewer stick to your plate, and provide the most beautiful and elaborate salad bar that it’s impossible to eat all the food you want to try! We celebrate all the March and April birthday babies with delicious deserts, which I’m not sure how we found room for. Thankfully we get a lot of walking in around this city, and are able to walk off some of our feast on our way to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association office. We have great conversations with the Vice President and Senior Director of Government Affairs and the Executive Director of Public Lands Council. We talk about the mandatory EID tags that many cattle producers are fighting, keeping grazing lands in grazing use, wild horse issues, labor, tariffs, and screwworm.

In trying to decide what to do with our 2 hours of free time until our next event, a few of us are blessed with the generous hospitality of the NCBA Office Manager, Nancy. She is so kind in setting up the TV in the conference room with President Trump announcing the new tariffs, and serving us wine to enjoy while watching. It was kind of a neat feeling watching President Trump while sitting a few blocks away from where he was actually standing, it almost felt like we were actually there, but while sitting in nice conference room chairs with a couple bottles of wine to refill our glasses…

From here, we get to immerse ourselves in the history of Ford’s Theatre before watching the play,  “Sister Act”. It was incredible and so much fun to watch this live musical in this historic setting.

Thursday, April 3:

This morning is jam packed with the American Farm Bureau Federation. A few different people speak to us on different topics, including the Farm Bill, labor issues, and water. The one that helped me the most though in what I am wanting to pursue, is how to advocate. He spoke highly about building relationships with my senators, representative, and the people in their offices. Sharing my story to inspire action. And asking them what they need from me. I will be putting all of this into practice as I work to keep large range sheep operations in business. After filling our brains to the max, we are led to the rooftop where a few of the range nerds, including myself, get overly excited about seeing sagebrush for the first time in almost a week!

Now we get to tour the inside of the Capitol building, rather than just admiring it from the outside. Our tour guide is a cute little gal from tiny-town-Wyoming who is going to law school and working under Representative Hageman. There are so many beautiful rooms, statues, and incredible details all throughout the building that one could spend hours in each area just to take it all in. Each state has statues of different people to represent their state, and I personally think that Wyoming’s are the most beautiful, no bias. They are Chief Washakie and the first woman to serve as Justice of the Peace, Esther Hobart Morris. I take so many pictures of the ceilings and floors and pillars and paintings, but none of my pictures do them justice.

After walking at least 40 miles in the past 4 days, I don’t have the watch that tells steps like everyone else but I know we’ve covered A LOT of concrete miles, I find a nice bench in the midst of the Botanic Garden and call home. It’s snowing and cold there, we’ve had another ewe have 4 lambs, lots of triplets, but thankfully no dead. My mom has had to pull a few calves, a rarity with our cows, and my new puppy still isn’t potty trained living in my mom’s mudroom. Oops. I am enjoying the warmth and no long-john weather of where I’m at though, and am thankful for the great crew at home keeping things afloat.

Friday, April 4:

On our last day, we get to visit the first “Farmers Fishers Bakers” restaurant which is located on a boardwalk by the river. It was founded by farmers from North Dakota and serves all local foods- which is DELICIOUS. A guy from the National Association of Conservation Districts and another from the American Farmland Trust come and speak to us in a pink floral room, which has inspired me with ideas for rooms at home. After lunch we have the rest of the day to do whatever we want, so a few of us go tour the Cathedral. It is a massive building with so many details in every nook and cranny that it would take a week just to see them all! After walking through the building we sit on a bench in a park surrounded by trees right outside the Cathedral. We sit there for hours, watching birds, making phone calls, and relaxing for the first time all week.

From this Cathedral, Mattie and I take an Uber to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Our driver is from Africa. He can’t believe it is snowing back home in April, and can’t believe we are able to grow anything there in our 8 months of winter! We explain that is why we largely raise more cattle and sheep than crops, and he enjoys learning about our lives on the ranch and is so appreciative of the work we do to feed the world. In turn, we are so appreciative to him for thanking us. Farming/ranching can be a thankless job where so many people try to just run us out of business, but he is so kind. This church is somehow even more beautiful than the last! We attend the most beautiful Mass which makes me cry. Being in the presence of Jesus surrounded by beautiful strangers, beautiful tile art of so many Saints, and statues of Mary is the most incredible ending to an educational and fulfilling week in our Nation’s Capital.