Reflecting on Change

By Brooke S. Appleton

Change is hard. Change is scary. We are reminded at different periods in our lives – sometimes happily, other times painfully – that for everything there is a season and a time to every purpose.

I am thinking a lot about change as I prepare to leave my current position at the National Corn Growers Association.

I thoroughly enjoyed leading NCGA’s public policy efforts and could easily stay in this job for the rest of my career. But I realize change is necessary if we are to learn, grow and expand our horizons.  

Wasn’t it Hank Williams Jr. who warned us years ago about the dangers of complacency after he tried to hit the town only to realize all his rowdy friends had settled down?

But my recent thoughts about change have not been limited to my own career progression. I am also thinking a lot about the role change plays in advocacy.

Advocates are constantly dealing with shifting political environments and working with newly elected officials and administrations. In fact, since I have been in Washington, I have worked on policy issues during four different presidential administrations with vastly different agendas and approaches to the issues.

What I have learned along the way is that as change in the political arena takes place, we as advocates must change along with it. We must shift our messages and tactics if we’re to be successful in advancing our policy agenda. But it is important to never lose sight of our core values and mission along the way.

As I wrote during my last column, our recent victory to overturn a ban on genetically modified corn imports to Mexico was successful largely because we adjusted our messages in a way that resonated with the administration at the time.

We must adapt again and think about how our story fits in with the current political environment. Innovation, efficiency and high performance are priorities of the Trump administration, and these terms perfectly describe the work of corn growers. We must tell our stories and emphasize what will help us become even more competitive.

That’s why NCGA recently released a report identifying the targets for bolstering grower competitiveness by focusing on activities like increasing global market access for U.S. corn, expanding the use of U.S. corn in ethanol and strengthening farm risk management.

While it’s necessary to speak with a loud and forceful voice when policymakers fall short on our issues, it is equally important to savor wins, appreciate incremental progress and praise our legislative allies even when their work only gradually nudges our policy priorities forward.

Soon I will have a new office, new colleagues and new duties. But I will still be focused on the issues of importance to the nation’s farmers. I guess you could say, the more things change, the more they stay the same!

Farewell, advocates, colleagues and dear friends!

Appleton is the former vice president for public policy at the National Corn Growers Association.