ASA selects Phelon to advance leadership

When a new class of Corteva Young Leaders are chosen each year, the participants attend two training phases to become better equipped as agricultural leaders. A small cohort of 10 leaders within the class are then selected through an application process to participate in Phase III of the program, which is a highly-specialized training that includes putting leadership lessons to the test visiting with elected officials in Washington, D.C. Adam Phelon, 2022 Young Leader from Kansas, said he applied for this opportunity as soon as he learned about it, and he was selected.

“During the program’s third phase, we were able to take the things we learned in the first two phases straight to Washington D.C,” Phelon shares. “The first sessions taught us about the lobbying process, how to tell our story and how to get our message across. On top of that, the policy priorities discussed through the American Soybean Association committees during the second phase were put into play as each state met with their representatives at Capitol Hill.” 

It was a jam-packed few days of activities that took place in conjunction with the ASA summer meeting, and wrapped up July 14. Phelon says the experience began Tuesday, July 12, with presentations from ASA staff and from sponsor Corteva’s organization leaders. The group listened to a panel on advocacy, and engaged in the Soy Issues Forum dedicated to discussing important issues that soybean lobbying organizations focus on.
Wednesday consisted of Capitol Hill visits, which Phelon shares was his favorite part of the experience.

“Getting to sit down at the table with those responsible for introducing legislation that can have such a huge impact on our lives as soybean farmers was something I had always wanted to be a part of,” he says. “I learned a lot from observing the other leaders of our Kansas Soybean Association as they sat down and made their case as to why we needed each member of congress’s support. I watched as our farmer leaders laid out what issues were important to our state and listened as they answered the questions our legislators had on what their concerns were.” 

He adds that the conversations with Rep. Jake LaTurner, Sen. Roger Marshall and Rep. Tracey Mann revolved around the Farm Bill, biofuels, developing markets and transportation issues such as rail, sea, and grain transport. 

The program concluded with attending the ASA board meeting on Thursday.

Phelon says the process helped him understand why soybean farmers need to have a voice in Washington D.C. and that he is more interested in paying more attention to policies.

“Not only has this program created a streamlined path to get involved in lobbying for the soybean industry; it’s also created a way for young farmers and leaders from all different parts of our country with different perspectives and different knowledge bases a way to connect and network in a way that we can more uniquely and effectively represent our peers on the state and national level,” he says.

Phelon says the reward for participating extended beyond just an enhanced interest in policy advocacy.

“It also gave me an opportunity to bond more with the some of the members of our board and get to know them on a more personal level,” he shares. “I still feel like I have a lot to learn but I believe the experience is a positive step in being of service to soybean growers in the future.”