National Ag Week has been celebrated for almost 50 years, but why?

WRITTEN BY JOSIE KORTE

National Ag week is a week dedicated to celebrating Ag for one full week in the spring. National Ag Week is held from March 21st to the 27th. The purpose of the week is to acknowledge, celebrate, and give thanks to the ag industry. The Agriculture Council of America, formed in 1973, announces the dates each year. This council is a nonprofit organization that supports farmers and agricultural advancements while also working together to educate the world on the importance of agriculture. When the council was first formed, they also introduced the first National Agriculture Day.

This one day was quickly changed to a week-long celebration that is celebrated every year.

National Agriculture week promotes the ag industry, spreads awareness, and also honors the farmers in this industry. It helps promote agriculture by connecting the general consumer to agriculture. Agvocacy is advanced by demonstrating ag as a good source of income and career expansion to our local communities.

This one week spreads awareness about the importance for people to continue to explore and appreciate the agriculture industry and the value it creates for all of us. There is a gap that continues to widen due to a decrease in the number of people employed in production ag. Lastly and most important to remember, it honors the farmers and all people in the ag industry! This is our way to show the appreciation we have for them and all that they do.

Did you know? Today every farmer feed 144 people compared to 1 farmer feeding 25 people in the 1960s. This is all possible because of the technological advancements and changes in the way we farm today. There are 22 million people employed in the agriculture sector working every day to increase the number to accompany the growing world.

There are many ways you can promote agriculture this week. You could attend a local event, many organizations put on events that you can participate in or just attend. In many schools, FFA chapters do something daily this week, such as ag trivia in the morning announcements or petting zoos. 4-H youth may explain what their projects have to do with agriculture or the impact their organization has on agriculture for the youth. Another way is through social media, by sharing the importance of agriculture and your contribution to spreading awareness!