A Hauser High School graduate serving as an Indiana state FFA officer got an early birthday present in Washington, D.C. — a chance to chat with Vice President Mike Pence.
Natalie Taylor, who turns 19 today, was in the room at the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday when Pence arrived to formally declare Tuesday as National Ag Day before a crowd of young people representing FFA, 4-H and other agriculture-related occupational organizations.
Taylor is Indiana’s FFA state reporter, informing the public about FFA-related events in Indiana and updating all Indiana FFA social media accounts.
She’s probably got a few more followers on her own social media account after Pence — the Columbus native and former Indiana governor — shrugged away a security officer and invited Taylor to take a selfie with him on her cellphone. That happened even after the security officer had said there would be no individual photos with the vice president at the event.
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“It’s OK, she’s from Indiana,” Pence said to the security officer, smiling in the crowded room as he took the photo with Taylor.
Prior to that moment, Taylor said Pence gave a wonderful speech talking about the importance of agriculture, the importance of the farmer and how everything that farmers do plays into everyone’s lives.
“He was thanking everyone for what they were doing and celebrating how far agriculture has come,” she said.
Before the speech, Pence was introduced by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who Taylor also had a picture with, although in a more formal pose.
Taylor had met Pence a few times before in Bartholomew County, at the county 4-H fair, which Pence frequently visited and also at a speech at Community Church of Columbus, before he ran for governor, she said.
After his speech Tuesday, she decided to take advantage of the opportunity to say hello, and to let him know there was one other person from Bartholomew County in the room during the speech.
She introduced herself, telling Pence she was from Hope.
“Being the Hoosier that I am, I wanted to say hello, so I made my way up there,” she said.
He asked that she send his love back to Indiana and then waved away security for the photo on her cell phone.
The Indiana FFA delegation had a few more Washington, D.C., meetings, but was scheduled to head home Tuesday night, flying into Indianapolis.
After her visit to the nation’s capitol, Taylor said her heart is trying to decide if she might want to look into a career in government affairs and agricultural policy, or stick with another dream, which is to help feed the hungry.
She is thinking of starting a nonprofit organization growing food that would help feed the community and alleviate hunger and malnutrition, she said.
But before making that decision, she will soon be starting the Pathways to Purdue program with Ivy Tech Community College, taking her core courses in Columbus before moving on to the campus at West Lafayette to finish her degree. She plans to major in agribusiness and minor in horticulture or communications.
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Age: 19
Hometown: Hope
Family: Parents Scott and Christy Taylor, three brothers and two sisters
Education: Hauser High School graduate, Class of 2017
Sports: Volleyball, tennis
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For more information about Indiana FFA, visit inffa.org/
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