Summer’s 2026 Legislative Internship Experience
Small Farm Action Day, 2026
(Summer is pictured 4th from left)
from summer…
The Legislative Internship at Rural Vermont has been one of the most meaningful learning experiences I’ve ever had. A couple of years ago, I was totally uninterested in policy. This year, while reviewing testimony for the internship, I caught a concerning proposed change to seed regulations that nobody else had yet noticed. I was able to bring together relevant stakeholders, experts, and advocates, using Rural Vermont’s networks and my own, and as a group we successfully reshaped the bill that is now law – all within just a few weeks. I have built confidence in my capacity to find and interpret statute, and an understanding of what it takes to influence the legislative process at the state level – skills that will serve me throughout my life and career. Through this experience, I've also deepened my understanding of how policy and grassroots organizing interact, and I've come to realize that I want to pursue organizing as both a personal identity and likely as part of my career. Most importantly, I’ve built friendships and professional relationships through this work that I expect will remain important for a long time.
Summer Lang Moeller
Rural Vermont Legislative Intern, 2026