Advocacy in Action: Katie Hall on Fixing What’s Broken in Ag

In this heartfelt and deeply engaging episode of the Germinate Podcast, host Joe Sampson is joined by Katie Hall, Senior Director of Advocacy at the Iowa Soybean Association. A farm kid turned ag policy powerhouse, Katie shares her winding journey from soybean fields and organic popcorn to the halls of government in Des Moines and D.C.

Listeners get a front-row seat to her rural Iowa upbringing, her start walking beans, and how that instilled a work ethic and curiosity that continues to define her career. Katie opens up about advocating for farmers through policy, logistics, and trade, revealing how the agriculture industry intersects with regulation, global economics, and family legacy.

Joe and Katie dive into everything from soybean tariffs and succession planning to the realities of modern farming, organic myths, and the cultural gaps in understanding where our food comes from. This is an episode about grit, purpose, and the power of asking good questions.

Key Takeaways:

• Advocacy Starts on the Ground: Katie serves as a translator and connector for Iowa farmers, tackling real-world issues with proactive solutions.

• Legacy and Succession Are Central: Generational farm transitions are deeply personal and require thoughtful planning and fairness.

• Trade Tariffs Impact Growers: Soybean farmers are uniquely affected by tariffs due to direct international substitutes like Brazil.

• Organic ≠ Always Better: Katie busts myths around food labels, GMOs, and what "healthy" really means in the context of modern agriculture.

• Farm Kids Learn Grit Early: Katie's upbringing instilled a strong sense of independence and perseverance that's still with her today.