Agriculture, America's Bed-Rock

I am a proud producer of the food America eats and this is National Agriculture Week. This week ought to be a celebration on the same order of Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. OK, so you say that sounds a little extreme. Well, maybe it is not and let me tell you why.

Both of the afore-mentioned holidays are patriotic in nature and there is nothing more patriotic than agriculture in the United States. Our whole economy is built around a safe, stable supply of food and fiber. This food security allows us to excel in other areas and be the leader of the world and all because we have do not have to worry about where our next meal comes from. The United States is a world power because of the incredible work of the farmers and ranchers of our great nation.

So let me tell you about my friends and neighbors who put blood, sweat and tears into feeding and leading our great nation. Many of us have been in agriculture for many, many generations, all we know is growing the food and fiber. We value the ability to farm and ranch with our grandparents, parents and children, we love the communities we live in and we feel we are incredibly blessed to live in this great nation.

Farmers and ranchers have a great attachment to the land they live on, the water they drink and the air they breathe. Everything we do is meant to preserve these precious resources for our future generations. We love living close to nature, spending time outdoors and being our own bosses.

The men and women who spend their lives growing the plants and animals that provide us nourishment have a great sense of pride and love for those same plants and animals. We revel in the birth of new animals and the sprouting of new plants. We also feel a sense of honor and pride when we harvest these same plants and animals and feed our fellow humans. We care for them while we have them but we also know their ultimate purpose on this earth is as food for the human race.

So this week please take time to honor the men and women who choose to be the farmers and ranchers providing you with the food and fiber you need each day. Those same farmers and ranchers are the bed-rock of our American society and the engine that powers this great nation.