For more than 40 years, the Agriculture Council of America, in partnership with the nation’s leading agriculture companies and grassroots supporters across the nation, has worked to enhance public awareness and appreciation of the contributions of agriculture in America. At the center of these efforts is National Agricultural Day, which happens this month on March 21. This year’s theme is, National Ag Day, Growing a Climate for Tomorrow
This year is the 50th anniversary of National Agriculture Day, called Ag Day for short, and its sponsors and supporters are planning major efforts to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture in the U.S. as well the many contributions it makes.
The mission of the Agricultural Council of America and the National Ag Day program is to encourage Americans to understand how food and fiber products are produced, value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy, and appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.
Agriculture and the food industry have been strained over the last few years because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the supply chain problems and the challenges it brought on, a long period of the highest food inflation since the 1970s, drought in the Western U.S., and the war in Ukraine, which has resulted in supply chain disruption globally for a number of crops.
Additional challenges to agriculture include the controversy over China buying farmland and agriculture businesses, a topic that now will be addressed in Congress soon because of bipartisan legislation that if passed and signed into law by the President will prevent China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, the four nations that have been deemed foreign advisories in the bill, from being able to buy U.S. farmland and agricultural businesses.
The 2023 Farm Bill, which guides U.S. agricultural policy and practice is also up for debate and renewal this year. There’s no more important piece of legislation in Washington when it comes to food and farming than the Farm Bill. Congress plans to take up the 2023 bill as early as this month.
This fact isn’t lost on the Agricultural Council of America. On March 20, the day before National Ag Day, there will be a major ag and food policy summit in Washington DC.
The all-day conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC will include key policy-makers and people from agricultural and food companies, associations and other stakeholders. The focus is to discuss, examine, and help shape the 2023 Farm Bill
Public policy is only one aspect of National Agriculture Day though. On Ag Day, March 21, there also will be major activities in the nation’s capital, including an Ag Day Proclamation Celebration and the Taste of Ag at the Library of Congress. Washington DC will also be the physical locus of an Ag Day virtual event, which will be held from 9:30 – 10:30 am eastern time.
While Washington DC is the physical location focus of National Agriculture Day, the Agricultural Council of America also puts a big emphasis on grass roots efforts. This year, for example, the council says there will be thousands of grass roots activities and programs throughout the nation that highlight the many facets of agriculture, particularly to young people.
Efforts focused on young people are crucial because the U.S. has become a majority urban and suburban nation. Many young people have never visited a farm or met a farmer and have little or no idea where the food at the supermarket comes from, let alone what it takes to produce food and fiber. The more education in this regard the better because U.S. agriculture needs the support of younger people who are the decision-makers and consumers of the future.
Agriculture needs to be made a higher priority among Americans as well as with elected officials in Washington DC, in states and locally in our communities.
It’s also essential that we cultivate future agriculture leaders, both on the farm, in industry and in allied fields.
In order to achieve these objectives those involved in food and farming need to focus not only on public policy but the grassroots as well. Citizens are voters. Voters influence elected officials. Agriculture needs to be elevated in public policy and grass roots activism can create grassroots supporters who in turn can influence their elected officials.
One way people can help in these efforts is to become an Ag Day influencer by helping spread the message of agriculture. This year the National Agriculture Council has created an influencer or “agvocate” program and toolkit which can be found on their website, the link to which is included at the end of this story.
It’s a well-organized program and set of tools. College students are particularly being encouraged to become an Ag Day Influencer this year.
All of the activities and programs centered around National Agriculture Day are designed to build a critical mass for food and farming. This is important but so is elevating agriculture in our country on a full-time basis.
This year is critical for this because of the soon-to-start debate on the 2023 Farm Bill.
Food inflation (although it’s slowing down slightly since the end of 2022), drought and supply chain troubles persist. These too continue to be challenges to agriculture in the U.S.
March focuses on agriculture and Ag Day, March 21, is the culmination of that focus. It’s a great time to get involved.
You can find all the information on National Agriculture Day discussed in this story and more at the Agricultural Council of America Ag Day website at, agday.org
My Job Depends on Ag Magazine columnist and contributing editor Victor Martino is an agrifood industry consultant, entrepreneur and writer. One of his passions and current projects is working with farmers who want to develop their own branded food products. You can contact him at: victormartino415@gmail.com.
