As you enjoy a Thanksgiving meal this week with your friends and loved ones, don’t forget to thank a farmer.
That’s because Thanksgiving dinner is only made possible due to the hard work of America’s farmers and ranchers. The turkey or ham on your table? Raised by a farmer. The wheat in your dinner rolls, the beans in your casserole, and the pumpkin and sugar in your pies? You guessed it, grown by a farmer.
Take a moment to meet just a few of the two million farmers who dedicate their lives to growing our food.
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Jim Sugarek Sixth-Generation Farmer President of the Southwest Council of Agribusiness Jim raises corn, cotton, wheat, milo, and cattle on his farm in Texas. We recently spoke to Jim on our Groundwork podcast about the incredible family farmers who help fuel our national food and fiber supply: “They are fathers and daughters, they’re husbands and wives. They are families that are all trying to produce a great product for our nation.”
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Jennifer James Fourth-Generation Farmer Member, USA Rice Farmers Board of Directors Jennifer’s family has farmed some of the same land in Arkansas for more than 100 years. We all must eat, which means we all need American farmers. “Keeping rice farmers in the U.S. in business really simply comes down to food security,” Jennifer recently told the Groundwork podcast.
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Keeff Felty Fourth-Generation Farmer Treasurer, National Association of Wheat Growers Oklahoma farmer Keeff makes a point to tell those not familiar with agriculture that modern farming is diverse, it’s technical, and it requires farmers who can adapt at a moment’s notice. For Keeff, this lifestyle and the role he plays in supporting our nation is incredibly special. “As farmers we are directly connected to the land that we work and care for. Our daily activities provide the foundation for the health and wealth of our local communities and ultimately the entire nation.”
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Jocelyn Schlichting Fourth-Generation Farmer Board Member, Minnesota Corn Growers Association Five years ago, Jocelyn traded corporate America for rows of corn, returning to the family farm and finding new purpose in growing the food that helps feed America, and the world. As Congress considers the next Farm Bill, Jocelyn wants Congress to know that they can trust farmers to get the job done. “We have your best interest and our best interest in mind. Our goals are the same, for the environment, for food production, for community, economics. We’ve got this. We’re taking care of it.”
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Mason Becker Fourth-Generation Farmer Texas cotton and peanut farmer Mason says that “farming is something that gets in your blood.” It’s stressful, and takes a lot of time, energy, and money, but Mason is passionate about farming – and leaving the land better than he found it. “Soil is the foundation for everything,” Mason says. Watch more of Mason’s story here.
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Shelby Duplantis Fifth-Generation Farmer For five generations, the Duplantis family has been growing sugarcane in Louisiana. Shelby is using her business degree to improve their family farming operation and hopes to see more women in farming. “If there were more women in powerful positions, or just where more people could see them, maybe more girls would want to be in farming.” |
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Interested in learning more about the small number of farmers who do the outsized work of feeding, clothing, and fueling America – and how federal farm policies support our national food security? Follow Farm Policy Facts on Twitter and Facebook.