National
Ag Day was started by the Agriculture Council of America in 1973 to
recognize and celebrate the contributions of the industry. The abundance the
industry provides touches our lives every day, from the food on the table to
the shirts on our backs. The theme this year is Agriculture: Stewards of a
Healthy Planet.
Through programs and events, Ag Day emphasizes the
importance of understanding the value of agriculture in our daily lives.
Agriculture plays an essential role in maintaining a strong economy, and
increasing public awareness helps American understand how food, fiber, and
renewable resource products are produced. As America is the largest global exporter of food it
proves how our farmers have an impact worldwide
Farmers grow and distribute safe, abundant, affordable
products for both domestically and globally. It is for this reason that Ag Day
brings together producers, agricultural associations, universities,
corporations, and government agencies to develop industry practices and science
to continue to grow technologies and resources to feed a growing world
population. For example, a Stanford-led team of researchers has developed a method to “estimate crop yields using
satellites that can measure solar-induced fluorescence light emitted by growing
plants.” Mapping growth gives the researchers a tool to study how crop yields
fluctuate under changing weather conditions. This kind of research will prepare
us to meet the demands of feeding the world population. The work that the
agriculture industry provides us with food on our table.
At PEER we don’t need a special day to remind us
of the importance of farmers and agriculture. We support the industry with
top-quality agricultural and seeding and tilling solutions designed to meet the
challenging environmental conditions farmers and their machinery contends with
to bring us, and the world, the products we need to survive.
Our societal shift from rural
communities to cities has left a void in the knowledge of where our food comes
from that Ag Day hopes to fix. As spring gets underway in most of the country,
the seeds are being planted for summer and fall harvests while crops are
continuing to grow in temperate states like Florida and California. Every day
is Ag Day in those areas! So, remember to thank a farmer on March 15th when you
open the fridge!
