March 22 marked the beginning of National Ag Week in the U.S. and National Ag Day falls on March 24.
Beginning in 1973, National Ag Day is a celebration of American agriculture, when producers, organizations, corporations, government agencies and more come together to recognize the importance of and celebrate agriculture in the U.S.
National Ag Week is hosted by the Agriculture Council of America but there are several other awareness efforts in smaller communities throughout the country.
There are more than 2 million farmers in the U.S. and each farmer in the feeds roughly 165 people, however, many people still do not understand the critical role that agriculture plays in their every day lives.
The goal of National Ag Week is to help all Americans do the following:
- Understand how food and fiber 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.