A farmer tends to a field. | Randy Fath/Unsplash
A farmer tends to a field. | Randy Fath/Unsplash
In a Facebook post Tuesday, Illinois state Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) celebrated National Ag Day.
"Happy National Ag Day to the Illinois ag community including the farm families, workers, educators, businesses, and all who keep the industry healthy and growing!" the legislator wrote.
Families own and operate 96% of Illinois farms, according to an Illinois Farm Bureau Partners report.
“That means families, not corporations, make most decisions about how we grow food, feed and fuel,” the report stated. “By nature, farmers problem-solve on and off the farm with the passionate intent to make a difference."
Isabella Chism, a row crop farmer, and the vice president of the Indiana Farm Bureau shared the importance of National Ag Day in an article Tuesday.
“On this day we celebrate American agriculture and our farm and ranch families who take great pride in growing a safe, sustainable food supply,” Chism wrote. “We also recognize and celebrate their role in producing biofuels for transportation, fiber for clothing and other textiles, building materials and so much more. Demand for college graduates with degrees related to agriculture continues to grow, according to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture). This includes job opportunities in management and business, such as marketers, financial advisors, credit analysts, business consultants, insurance managers, and e-commerce specialists"
The Agriculture Council of America organizes National Ag Day celebrations each year, including an essay contest.
This year's national winner is Timothy Hill of Orlando, Florida. He will receive a $1,000 prize.
Three merit winners will receive $100 and have their essays featured in the Ag Day Blog, according to the Agriculture of America’s website.
The three merit winners are Sophie Griswold, from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, Libby Ramge, from Marysville, Ohio, and Elsha Valluru, from Highland Village, Texas.
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