Meet Grace May: Legislative Intern 2024

May 16, 2024
A young woman in a white tank top is smiling in front of a corn field.

Grace is from Princeton, IL and is a rising senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is currently studying Agriculture and Consumer Economics with a concentration in Public Policy and Law with minors in Business and Environmental Economics and Law. Grace hopes to pursue a career in agriculture policy development and advocacy and work towards bringing better opportunities to rural communities.

 

These goals have led her to IL Corn, where she is excited to work with the Legislative team to further develop her knowledge in agriculture policy and advocacy. In her free time, you can find Grace spending time with family and friends or watching movies.

 

When asked about what she is most excited for, Grace said “I am thrilled about every aspect of this opportunity, but I am especially looking forward to connecting with other professionals who are passionate about agriculture and getting to visit Corn Congress in Washington, D.C.!”

The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.
By Lyndi Allen July 3, 2025
Illinois corn farmers will be impacted by many provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill that passed in both chambers this week.
By Tara Desmond July 3, 2025
Mid-Year Highlights: IL Corn Top 10 Read Stories
A map of the world with arrows pointing to trade countries
By Lyndi Allen July 3, 2025
Trade plays a critical role in driving demand for U.S. corn—not only as grain or feed, but also as fuel.
Top Videos of 2025
By Tara Desmond July 2, 2025
Harvesting the Best: A Look at IL Corn’s Top 10 Videos of 2025
By Lindsay Croke June 30, 2025
When we think of Independence Day traditions, sweet corn on the cob is as iconic as fireworks and often even more central to the celebration. According to Instacart, purchases of sweet corn surge by 380% over the annual average heading into July 4th, outranking other grilling staples like baby back ribs and burgers. But corn's role in your Fourth of July celebration goes far beyond your plate. In Illinois alone, 8,300 acres of sweet corn are harvested annually, averaging 155 cwt per acre. That’s more than 128 million pounds of locally grown sweetness fueling summer cookouts across the state. And while sweet corn makes a big impression on the grill, most of Illinois’ corn crop isn’t sweet corn - it’s field corn. Less than 1% of the state’s crop is sweet corn, while the rest is used in products that are often invisible to consumers but vital to everyday life: fuel, packaging, fireworks, and even spirits.
The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.
By Lyndi Allen June 27, 2025
From Springfield to D.C., lawmakers are listening, and Illinois corn farmers are leading the conversations.
Show More