Celebration of agriculture starts across Ohio, nation
A state and national celebration of agriculture is getting underway.
Ohio Ag Week started on March 11, and National Ag Week follows on March 18.
The second full week of March is designated as “Ohio Agriculture Week” in order to increase public recognition of the vitally important role that agriculture plays both in this state and across the nation as stated in the Ohio Revised Code.
The Agriculture Council of America announced that March 19 is National Agriculture Day with the theme of “Agriculture: Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.”
Activities planned for March 19 feature a virtual Ag Day program, and in-person events in Washington, D.C. The Agriculture Council invited students to interact virtually with legislators and agency representatives, delivering the Ag Day message.
A core leadership team of college students will participate in the D.C. events, along with representatives of national farm and commodity organizations, and representatives of the food, fuel, and fiber communities.
“Students are interested in advocating on behalf of agriculture and their future roles in the industry,” said Jenny Pickett, Agriculture Council of America president. “Their participation in National Ag Day activities provides a glimpse of the future of agriculture. It’s exciting to learn from the students what they think agriculture will be like in the years
ahead, and how their involvement will shape the industry and America as a whole.”
According to USDA
Economic Research Service:
– more than 22 million full- and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sector, or roughly 10 percent of all U.S. employment.
– On-farm jobs represented about 2.6 million jobs, or a little over one percent of U.S. employment.
Taking that a step further, agriculture- and food-related jobs totaled more than 19 million.
“More and more, students and individuals are finding careers in agriculture,” she also said. “The industry needs scientists, biologists, food safety technicians, livestock nutrition specialists, arborists, conservationists. One doesn’t have to be a farmer or have a direct on-farm job to be involved in the agriculture industry.”
The 2024 National Ag Day marks the 51st year of the nationwide effort to share real stories of American agriculture, and remind citizens that agriculture affects everyone.
“From the food we eat and the fuel for our vehicles, to the fiber in the clothes we wear, and the oil used to make kids’ crayons, agriculture
touches everyone in some way,” Pickett said.
The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:
– understand how food, fiber, and fuel products are produced.
– appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products.
– value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
– acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.
In addition to the
events on March 19, the Agriculture Council of America offered an Ag Day Essay Contest. Interested students were creating video essays on the topic of Agriculture in the Future: “If I had two minutes to talk to a farmer.”
The winning video essay was to be presented on National Ag Day.
Visit www.agday.org for more information.