Today is National AG Day

National AG Day normally recognized around the first day of spring is a day to celebrate agriculture and what farmers do producing the safest most affordable food supply in the world. I also feel it is a day to celebrate all the people involved in supplying the inputs farmers need to grow and produce food. Those in food product development, transportation, retail, agronomists, equipment manufacturers, mechanics, computer hardware and software developers, those in sales, processors, the list goes on and on. All play an important role in food production.

There is not a lot of celebrating this year. With many years of low commodity prices farmers were under a lot of stress even before we had ever heard about COVID-19. The virus has made everything much worse, even for our friends with careers off the farm. Many people I know do not have a job or they are worried about when they will be laid off. There is more fear about the U.S. economy and when or if ever things will get back to normal.

There seems to be more fear than anticipation this year about planting another crop. However, the crop will get planted and farmers will continue to take care of their livestock. That is what farmers have done for generations and that will continue!