This Sunday, October 12, is National Farmer’s Day. On this day – and every day – we recognize the people who feed, fuel, and clothe our nation. Farming is more than a profession; it’s a commitment passed down through generations, sustained by resilience, innovation, and community.
The impact of American agriculture is felt everywhere. Nearly one in ten U.S. jobs is connected to farming and food production. Together, these sectors contribute more than $1.5 trillion to our economy and over $176 billion in exports each year. But behind those numbers are the hardworking men and women whose work keeps the system moving even in the face of rising costs, volatile weather, and uncertain markets.
Meet Some of America’s family farmers:
In Scott City, Kansas, the France Family grows sorghum while raising the next generation in farming. Laney, Prim, Kennedie, Amy, and Calli remind us that agriculture is about more than yields and markets – it’s about family, tradition, and ensuring communities have the food and fiber they need.
Alice is growing up on a Minnesota sugarbeet farm. She would be the sixth generation to farm this land. Her dad, Brad Thoreson, says that a strong farm safety net and a smart sugar policy will allow him to provide his kids with the opportunity to farm one day, just as his dad did for him.
Minnesota farmer Nick Peterson and his family farm corn, soybeans, edible beans, and cereal rye. He and his brother also finish about 300 head of Holstein cattle. Nick says that a strong farm safety net helps families feed, fuel, and clothe the world. In the face of a challenging farm economy for corn growers and all row crops, smart farm policies are crucial to ensuring America’s family farmers, like Nick, can keep the tradition going.
Down in Louisiana, Josh Hebert and his family have continued the tradition for four generations. The Heberts are forging a new path as first-generation sugarcane growers. A strong farm safety net ensures that the Heberts can continue the family tradition for the fifth generation. “The Farm Bill is not just pivotal for Louisiana farmers, but entire communities are supported by our industry.”
Up in Gaston, North Carolina, the Dunlow family grows cotton, peanuts, soybeans, and wheat. William Dunlow feels passionately about keeping his family farm going and helping the next generation of farmers thrive: “It’s always been my dream to one day take over my family farm. It would make me a fifth-generation farmer and provide my young sons the opportunity to continue that tradition if they choose.”
Strong farm policy helps make these family farms possible. By providing tools to manage risk and uncertainty, farm programs ensure that multi-generational families like these can keep farming – not just this season, but for years to come. Smart farm policies give farmers the stability they need to keep doing what they do best: producing the safest, most abundant food and fiber supply in the world.
So, to our farmers, we say thank you. To the families who rise before dawn, work through long days, and carry forward a tradition that benefits every American household. We are grateful.
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