Historic event creates lifetime memories

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Whenever there is an opportunity for agriculture to shine in the national limelight, Amy Penterman is all-in. While she was preparing to represent her fellow Wisconsin dairy farmers in legislative meetings in the nation’s capital, she received an email that was unexpected, yet thrilling. The email included an invitation to the single largest gathering of farmers the White House has ever hosted.

“To get an invitation for an event like this, and the opportunity to be on the White House grounds, was so amazing,” Penterman said. “The whole day was just to celebrate agriculture — it wasn’t really about policy or politics. It was just to say thanks to farmers, and to put farmers in the spotlight.”

The Great American Celebration of Agriculture brought hundreds of farmers from all sectors of agriculture together on the South Lawn of the White House March 27. The event featured displays of tractors and brief remarks from both President Donald J. Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Penterman and her husband, Sander, milk 900 cows with their family at their farm, Dutch Dairy, in Clark County near Thorp, Wisconsin.

Making sure that agriculture, and the dairy industry in particular, has a seat at the table when regulations and laws are being made has been a long-time passion for Penterman. She has been a part of policy committees for several agricultural organizations and was the first woman to serve as president of the Dairy Business Association.

“The elected officials in Washington have a lot of voices and information coming at them,” Penterman said. “And most don’t have any sort of background in agriculture. They don’t know what we’re doing, what we need if we don’t educate them. If we don’t tell them our stories, someone else will take that space.”

While she had been in the nation’s capital earlier in the week advocating for dairy farmers as a part of Dairy Speaks, Penterman returned to the city for Friday’s event and enjoyed the time to simply enjoy the city and revel in what she witnessed on the White House lawn.

“It was very refreshing,” Penterman said. “There was a lot of positivity, even though all our ag sectors are struggling. It was reassuring to know that our leaders are thinking about us and they’re working to try and make things better, even though we all know it won’t happen overnight.”

Penterman, who attended the event with several other Wisconsin agriculturists, said she was thrilled to see Wisconsin’s agricultural organizations so well represented. For an event at the White House, with the president appearing, she said the atmosphere felt jovial and relaxed.

“We got in line at 11 a.m., and we had to go through a Secret Service screening, but we got in fairly quickly,” Penterman said. “It was nice to get in so quickly, but I enjoyed standing in line, too — it gave you the opportunity to see all the different people that were there.”

After clearing the security screening, Penterman said members of the military lined the iconic circular driveway leading to the executive mansion, welcoming the crowd.

“There was music playing and tractors on display; they had lemonade if you wanted some,” Penterman said. “It was a really light, positive atmosphere. You had the chance to talk with other farmers from around the country. What struck me was that even though things are rough right now, everyone was upbeat, happy and excited for the opportunity to do something out of the norm.”

One highlight for Penterman was recognizing a social media influencer she enjoys following: Kay Didier, also known as Granny Bibbins.

“She was there with her grandson, and I went to talk to her,” Penterman said. “She gave me a hug right away. I was so taken with talking to her that I forgot to get a picture with her. I enjoy her outlook on things, how basic and no-nonsense she is.”

Once the program started, both Trump and Rollins spoke to the crowd, acknowledging the value agriculture holds for the country.

“The speeches were short and non-specific,” Penterman said. “They talked about how important farmers are to America, and how we need to continue the process, working to ensure we’re getting fair prices for our farmers.”

Trump touched briefly on measures meant to help relieve some price and regulatory pressures felt by farmers, including new guidance that will remove diesel exhaust fluid sensor requirements, along with Right to Repair measures that will remove regulations that bind the hands and pocketbooks of farmers around the country.

“He talked about removing those red-tape kinds of things that are holding farmers back,” Penterman said. “They eliminated some of those regulations that are just nuisances that farmers have to deal with. I know everybody wants to see immediate relief, immediate increases in our commodity prices. Small steps forward are still steps forward.”

Penterman said those issues had been addressed earlier in the week, when she attended the Agri-Pulse Food and Policy Summit with the Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Dairy Business Association.

“We talked about how we need to find alternative uses and markets domestically for our products,” Penterman said. “We can’t just rely on exporting our products here or there. We need to figure out different ways to use our products here.”

The time spent in Washington was like a dream, Penterman said, first advocating for the industry she loves, followed by a return trip to celebrate it.

“It was an opportunity I would have never dreamed I’d get, one I’d jump at regardless of who was in office,” Penterman said. “At the end of the day, we’re all Americans, we’re all just people and we have to work with everyone on both sides of the aisle.”

While time in the nation’s capital always stirs her from a historic perspective, Penterman said attending the Great American Celebration of Agriculture reached much deeper in her soul.

“There is something so powerful about being at the People’s House, realizing that the work we do every day on our farms, in our businesses and our communities matters at the highest level,” Penterman said. “Agriculture often happens far from the spotlight, but walking those grounds, you couldn’t help but reflect on how deeply agriculture is woven into the fabric of our nation. It wasn’t just about the beauty or history, it was about the pride we have in the land, in our work and in the people who keep it all going.”