Special Contributor to FB.org
photo credit: AFBF Photo, Philip Gerlach
Special Contributor to FB.org
By Bailey Corwine @ByBaileyCorwine
Growing up on a small cattle and row crop operation in eastern Kansas, the turning of the calendar page to August meant many things: back-to-school shopping, the county fair, cooler morning air while doing chores and trying to get the last of the alfalfa hay baled.
But for members of Congress and their staff, August means one thing: recess. Each year, both the House of Representatives and the Senate gavel the session out for most of the month of August and the first part of September so that elected officials can return home to the places they represent. Most representatives use the break to travel around their districts, meeting with as many constituents as possible. They may visit county fairs, host town halls or keep open hours in their in-district offices.
While August may be a busy time on the farm or ranch, it’s important to remember to tell your agriculture story.
The August recess presents an excellent opportunity for telling agriculture’s story, but farmers and ranchers may wonder, “How do I make the best use of time with my elected official?” I started my career working for an elected official and offer the tips below for making the most of the August recess.
While August may be a busy time on the farm or ranch, it’s important to remember to tell your agriculture story. Farmers and ranchers depend on elected officials to represent their interests in Washington while raising the nation’s food, fuel and fiber, but they cannot do that if they do not know what is happening in their home state or district.
If you are not able to meet with your elected officials in person, try connecting on social media, giving their office a call or writing an old-fashioned letter. Although the August recess was designed for connecting senators and representatives with their constituents, there is never a bad time to reach out to your elected officials about the issues that are important to you.
Bailey Corwine is media relations specialist at the American Farm Bureau Federation.