Celebrate National Ag Day! Drink milk, eat cheese, devour ice cream, & don't forget to thank a farmer!

Taking place on March 8th, National Ag Day is a time to recognize American farmers for the abundant, affordable, and safe food supply they provide to us. Although they represent only 2% of the U.S. population, farm and ranch families own and operate 97% of the nation's 2.2 million farms. The day also celebrates their continual contributions to our communities, our nation, and countries around the world. 

Here are just a few of the many reasons to celebrate agriculture on National Ag Day:

Employment Opportunities

• 21 million Americans work in the U.S. food and fiber industry, employing more than five times as many workers as the U.S. automotive manufacturing, sales and service industries combined. 
• In 2008, agricultural exports alone generated 920,000 full-time jobs, including 608,000 in the non-farm sector.  

Economical Contributions

• In 2010, U.S. farmers spent $288 billion to produce $369 billion in goods. Ag-related sales alone surpassed the GDPs of 200 other countries. 
• $115 billion of U.S. agricultural products were exported around the globe in 2010.  

Environmental Improvements

• Since the Conservation Reserve Program was established in 1985, farmers & ranchers have helped reduce soil erosion by 622 million tons and have restored over 2 million acres of wetlands!
• The installation of more than 2 million miles of conservation buffers has improved our soil, air, and water quality.

Dedication & Perseverance

• Compared to 1950, today's farmers produce 262% more food with 2% fewer inputs.
• After deducting input costs, farmers and ranchers currently receive only 16 cents out of each dollar spent on food versus 31 cents in 1980.

Sources: "Agriculture Grows America's Economy" worksheet retrieved from www.TheHandThatFeedsUs.org on March 7, 2012.
"Fast Facts About Agriculture" retrieved from the American Farm Bureau Federation®'s website at www.fb.org on March 7, 2012.

On behalf of everyone at Patz Corporation, we would like to thank our nation's farmers for their hard work and dedication to providing us with an abundance of safe, affordable food products!

Learn more about National Ag Day at www.agday.org!