National Agriculture Day is a great opportunity to talk to a farmer. I had the opportunity to share a few words on CNN Eatocracy this week to encourage people to consider how agriculture impacts our lives daily.
One of the first steps in transparency for our agriculture systems is encouraging folks to become more aware of what actually happens in agriculture. Can you help make this happen? This post was originally published on CNN Eatocracy on March 19, 2013. Click here to see all of my CNN articles.
Celebrate National Agriculture Day: Talk to a farmer
Each weekday Eatocracy features a special food holiday. These can range from raw ingredients, regional specialties, or guilty pleasures that satisfy our sweet tooth. No matter where these foods come from, they have something in common – it all started on a farm.
March 25, 2014, is National Agriculture Day; one day we can set aside our differences and celebrate the diversity agriculture brings to the table. This encompasses not only farmers, but also everyone involved in growing, processing, transporting, and preparing our food for the table. The Agriculture Council of America organizes the event and support comes from numerous organizations across the agriculture and food spectrum.
Even though farmers and ranchers may be overlooked when it comes to influencing our food supply, this group of folks has a huge impact on our daily lives. Most of the non-food products we use on a daily basis include by-products from livestock animals and crops. Cotton fibers make up a large amount of our favorite clothing and many crops are used to generate energy and fuel. agriculture has a huge impact on rural businesses and economies, providing jobs, sources of tax revenue, and many farm organizations make large food donations possible for crisis and hunger relief.
What National Ag Day Means to Me
This day has personal significance to me. A few years ago, someone asked why I was proud to be a part of agriculture. After traveling and working on farms and ranches across the country, I have gained a greater appreciation for the commitment that members of the agriculture community make to improve our daily lives.
Not everyone will have an opportunity like mine to experience hands-on the science, technology, and conservation work that go into producing the raw materials for food and non-food products we consume every day. Consumers have lost confidence in agriculture practices and we have to improve the transparency of these.
The first step is gaining an awareness of what actually occurs in agriculture. Farmers, ranchers, and agriculture organizations are working to open doors and ask for a civil conversation. Can you provide that for them?
Join us today to celebrate the abundance of Agriculture. Look for events hosted by your state and local agriculture organizations. If you are online, follow the events in Washington D.C. hosted by the Ag Day organization. The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance is hosting an educational briefing on Capitol Hill and will provide an interactive platform. Follow along on their website, or on Twitter using the hashtags #FoodD and #AgDay.
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