This last Sunday through Thursday, I got to experience something amazing: I had my first experience in Washington D.C., as well as my first experience with National Agriculture Day.
The purpose of this trip was to learn about and educate Senators, Representatives and their staff about the important of agriculture, and the role it plays in our daily lives.
Little did I know that my first experience with this would not begin at the Capital, but on the airplane. I met Tyler and Fran as soon as I sat down. When I explained the nature of my trip, they wanted to know more.
I explained that America’s Farmers and Ranchers produce the affordable and healthy food we eat, while using technology, and conserving our land and resources.
I told them one of the issues that we face in agriculture, is that where we once grew one plant, we must now grow two. It is predicted that by the year 2050, we will need to have produced more food that we have in the last 10,000 years.
That is a daunting task. This problem is compounded when we consider that roughly 98% of Americans are removed from the farm, and the majority of these people do not know where their food really comes from. They believe it’s “just the grocery store.” “Those outside of agriculture need to understand the importance of agriculture to our society,” said Kathleen Merrigan, the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.
Today, the average farmer feeds 155 people per day, as compared to 26 people in 1960. Technological advances such as the use of GPS to control tractors, irrigation systems such as center pivots that use less water, and wind and solar powered energy, have allowed the agricultural sector to be more efficient and productive than ever before.
I believe that the beginning of the FFA (a student agriculture organization) Creed says what we in agriculture hope for, “I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words, but of deeds.”
This simple truth is that right now, American Farmers and Ranchers are working hard to provide safe, affordable, nutritious food for you. Their actions truly speak louder than their words. However, in an ever-growing consumer conscious world, you must learn their stories.
Through the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program, you can do just that. “Not every family needs a lawyer, not every family needs an accountant, but every family needs a farmer,” said Agricultural Deputy Secretary Merrigan.
The program’s mission is, “This is a USDA-wide effort to create new economic opportunities by better connecting consumers with local producers. It is also the start of a national conversation about the importance of understanding where your food comes from and how it gets to your plate. Today, there is too much distance between the average American and their farmer and we are marshalling resources from across USDA to help create the link between local production and local consumption.” (I’ll dive more into this program in my next posting.)
I challenge you to do just that: learn about where your food comes from. Know that 97% of American farms and ranches are family-owned and operated. Know that 2.2 million farmers follow strict government health guidelines to produce the food you consume. Know that the average age of a farmer is 57, with 30% being over 65 and wanting to retire, but can’t because there is no one to pass the farm on to.
This is the same message that myself, and 100 other college-aged agricultural students brought to Capital Hill. Meeting with Senators and Representatives from all across the country, we tried to stress the importance of agriculture.
Even when it was all said and done, I had one more opportunity on the plane ride home with a production editor for the travel channel. I learned that if you want to educate people, you have to do so at all levels, from the average citizen to legislatures.
How much do you know about food from the farm to your table? Even if you don’t know much, know this: American Farmers and Ranchers are amazing, and deserve your support. We work to feed, cloth, and fuel the world.
USDA Building.
Deputy Secretary of Ag – Kathleen Merrigan
Me in front of the U.S. Capital Building, getting ready to head in to talk to legislatures.