INDIANA – The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) announced March 19, 2024, will be National Agriculture Day with the theme “Agriculture: Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.”
Activities planned for March 19 feature a virtual Ag Day program and in-person events in Washington, DC. ACA will invite students to interact virtually with legislators and agency representatives, delivering the Ag Day message. A core leadership team of college students will participate in the DC events, with representatives of national farm and commodity organizations and representatives of the food, fuel, and fiber communities.
Jenny Pickett, ACA President, says students from AFA, 4-H, FFA, and MANNRS participated in the 2023 National Ag Day. “Students are interested in advocating for agriculture and their future roles in the industry. Their participation in National Ag Day activities provides a glimpse of the future of agriculture. It’s exciting to learn from the students what they think agriculture will be like in the years ahead and how their involvement will shape the industry and America as a whole.”
According to the USDA Economic Research Service* more than 22 million full- and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sector, or roughly 10 percent of all US employment. On-farm jobs represented about 2.6 million jobs, a little over one percent of US employment. Take that further: agriculture- and food-related jobs totaled more than 19 million.
“More and more students and individuals are finding careers in agriculture. The industry needs scientists, biologists, food safety technicians, livestock nutrition specialists, arborists, conservationists – one doesn’t have to be a farmer or have a direct on-farm job to be involved in the agriculture industry,” Pickett says.
2024 National Ag Day marks the 51st year of the nationwide effort to share real stories of American agriculture and remind citizens that agriculture affects everyone. “From the food we eat and the fuel for our vehicles to the fiber in the clothes we wear, and the oil used to make kids’ crayons, agriculture touches everyone somehow,” Pickett says.
The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:
· Understand how food, fiber, and fuel products are produced.
- Appreciate agriculture’s role 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 industries.
In addition to the events on March 19, the ACA will offer the Ag Day Essay Contest. Interested students would create video essays on Agriculture in the Future: If I Had Two Minutes to Talk to a Farmer.” The winning video essay will be presented on National Ag Day.
Sponsorship opportunities for Ag Day 2024 are available. Visit www.agday.org for more information, or contact Pickett to discuss sponsorship opportunities or with any additional questions.
