Spring is a time of renewal; when the first green signs of plant life peek through the cold, hard ground and signals warmer days and the growing season ahead. For gardeners, it’s daffodils that are first to emerge, but for American farmers, who on average, feed more than 144 people per farmer, that green promises a bounty of food to nourish our nation’s families.

This spring, on Thursday, March 8, 2012, we celebrate National Ag Day. This annual event was established by the National Agriculture Council as a day for Americans to recognize and celebrate the wide variety of products provided by agriculture. On this day each year, those involved in agriculture, including farmers, agricultural associations, food and agriculture companies, universities, and government agencies participate in agriculture-related events across the country. Activities on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC are attended by producers and other friends of agriculture, including student leaders from groups such as the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H. The National Agriculture Council encourages young people to consider a career in agriculture.

According to the Ag Day website, “The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:  1) Understand how food and fiber products are produced; 2) Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy; and 3) Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.”

The Alliance to Feed the Future celebrates National Ag Day through its mission to raise awareness and improve understanding of the benefits and necessity of modern food production and technology in order to meet global demand. It does this through its website, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org, on which are resources from its 85 member organizations on modern food production from farm to fork.

For more information about National Ag Day, visit www.agday.org.