Intern Spotlight: Mary Eichenberger
As the summer draws to an end, we bring recognition to our six incredible interns. Learn more about legal intern Mary Eichenberger and her experiences with Farm Credit.
Mary Eichenberger is no stranger to agriculture or the policies and legalities surrounding it. As a second-year student at the University of Arkansas School of Law, she hopes to serve the agricultural community in the future. Mary joins Farm Credit of Western Arkansas this summer as a legal intern and brings valuable legal knowledge, industry experience, and passion for Arkansas agriculture to the team.
Hailing from Clarksville, Arkansas, Mary is a third-generation farmer on a cow-calf operation.
“From an early age, it instilled a love for agriculture,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed helping out around the farm.”
In her spare time, she enjoys game nights with friends, reading, baking, spending time outside, and playing pickleball.
Mary is a 2023 graduate of the University of Arkansas, where she majored in agricultural business and minored in legal studies and southern studies. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, she began her path toward her juris doctorate and hopes to pursue a career in agriculture policy or environmental law. She also intends to complete her Master of Laws at the U of A.
During her time with Farm Credit, Mary has gained valuable hands-on, real-world experience. She remarks on the opportunity to serve the Arkansas agricultural community and practice law simultaneously.
Her day-to-day operations include researching ag law issues and credit regulations, reading relevant case law, drafting letters, reorganizing internal documents and more. She has also spent time researching the Farm Bill, drafting a presentation, and presenting to the Farm Credit Board of Directors.
Recently, Mary attended the 11th Annual Mid-South Agricultural & Environmental Law Conference in Memphis, hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center. There, she learned about estate planning, the Fourth Amendment in agriculture, and tax law.
Mary notes that Farm Credit holds an atmosphere of genuine passion for agriculture.
“In every interaction, everyone has the utmost respect for our members and farmers and genuinely wants them to fulfill their dreams,” she said. “Everyone cares about their job and the people that they serve. They understand how important their work is to the success of the farmers and ranchers in their community.”
Mary joined cleanup teams deployed to members’ farms after they were affected by tornadoes, and she notes that effort is a tangible way that she has witnessed Farm Credit support its members.
Last summer, Mary interned with the House Committee on Natural Resources under Chairman Congressman Bruce Westerman in Washington, D.C. Then, for the second half of the summer, she worked under the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry for ranking member Senator John Boozman. She has also interned for Arkansas Farm Bureau. Her previous internships brought her to Farm Credit of Western Arkansas with extensive experience in the industry.
As Mary works alongside Farm Credit staff and members, she continues to provide excellent assistance to the organization. Throughout the summer, she has contributed greatly to the success and operations of Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and has proven to be a valuable addition to the team.
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