For Immediate Release Contact:
Elizabeth Rivera | 202-547-7800 | erivera@wheatworld.org
NAWG’s 2024 Fall Intern
Washington, D.C. (October 23, 2024) – This fall, Texas A&M student Kaitlynn Hughes joined the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) as their policy intern. Kaitlynn is from Royse City, Texas, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics with a focus on policy and economic analysis and a certificate in International Trade in Agriculture. Growing up, she was active in FFA and 4-H, where her passion for agricultural advocacy sparked through public speaking, livestock ambassadorships, showing market cattle and hogs, and state leadership roles. At Texas A&M, she has focused her coursework on agriculture policy and the impacts of the industry in marketing and trade.
“Being an intern during an election and a Farm Bill year is impactful to say the least. Learning about key issues facing the wheat industry, participating in the multi-commodity farmer fly-in, and attending meetings across executive and legislative branches is more than I could have hoped for as a young agricultural policy professional.” said Kaitlynn. “The NAWG staff are the best people I could have found to help me jumpstart my career in agriculture policy. Their dedication to the NAWG mission and its members has guided my experience, and I cannot express my gratitude enough.”
“Kaitlynn has been an instrumental part of the team this fall. I am thankful and appreciative her contributions to NAWG and look forward to seeing where she goes after graduation this spring,” said NAWG CEO Chandler Goule.
On campus, Kaitlynn serves as the Co-Chair of Finance for the Agricultural Economics Aggie Reps, and is an active member of the Terry Scholar Program, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council, National Agriculture Marketing Association, Texas Aggie Cattlewomen Association, and Agricultural Economics Society. She works on campus as a student worker for the Texas A&M Agricultural Economics Undergraduate Department office. Kaitlynn is also completing research on sweet potato consumer consumption and the agricultural aviation industry. She plans to move back to Washington D.C. post-graduation and purse a staffer position on the hill in preparation of working as a lobbyist for an agriculture trade association.
Over the course of her internship with NAWG, Kaitlynn has dived into agriculture policy focusing on Farm Bill initiatives, tax issues, and biotechnology specific to the U.S. wheat industry. She has had the opportunity to attend numerous meetings on Capitol Hill and USDA related to the Farm Bill, complete research projects, assist with communications such as social media content creation and NAWG weekly updates, and complete various other tasks related to agriculture policy and the wheat industry.
Kaitlynn’s internship wraps up in the middle of December, after which she will head back to Texas A&M to continue working toward her degree, graduating in May.
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