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What are you doing for National Ag Week?

National Agriculture Week begins its 7-day run on Sunday, March 16. Ag Day, which is celebrated annually on the first day of spring, falls on March 20 this year. What are you going to do to tell the story of agriculture? No plans? No problem. I have some suggestions:

*Contact your Congressmen:

On March 14th, Congress is slated to adjourn for a two-week Easter recess. This should give you ample time to contact those who represent your interests in Washington, D.C. to let them know what you have on your mind as it pertains to legislation (or lack thereof) being cussed, discussed, and completely overhauled in our nation’s capital.

As an aside, with no agreement yet in hand on how to fund the roughly $10 billion over the Congressional Budget Baseline that the next farm bill is expected to cost, actually finishing the legislation before Friday, March 14 is a virtual impossibility. That will mean at least another one-month extension of the current farm law and no clear end in sight for the current farm bill negotiations. You might want to let your congressmen know how you feel about all that.

*Contact your representatives to the Illinois General Assembly:

A quick check on the website (Google Illinois General Assembly) will give you access to contact information, bills on the docket, and a breakdown of who sits on what committee. If you have no pressing concerns for your representative (I personally have PLENTY for mine) just let them know you are listening, watching and want your interests to be represented. If he or she is doing a good job in that regard, let them know. If they are not, let them know that, too.

*Speak to a local civic club:

Most local Kiwanis, Rotary, or other organizations seek out speakers for their meetings. Let them know you would be happy to help them out at a meeting this week or in the future. You don’t have to be a great public speaker or have a quick wit. Just talk to them about the importance of agriculture to the economy of your community, or tell them about some of the environmentally-friendly practices you have implemented on your farm, or about how you care for your livestock.

*Contact your local radio station:

Most local radio stations do a good job of reaching out to the local community to be sure that local events are being covered. Many of those stations will run features or public service announcements talking about the importance of agriculture during National Ag Week. Contact the news director or program director at your local radio station and make sure they know it is National Ag Week. They might want to interview you about the importance of agriculture within the station’s coverage area. Offer to share with them some of the same information you would share when speaking to a local civic club.

*Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper:

Not everyone is a wordsmith, and that is ok. Sit down with pen and paper (or computer and keypad) and write “from the heart.” Choose a topic that you are comfortable talking about and start writing. How did you get started farming? How has farming changed? What practices have you implemented on your farm to save soil? Take this opportunity to address some of the misconceptions about agriculture – from how your treat your livestock to use of herbicides and pesticides.

In the 1960’s, one farmer provided enough food and fiber for about 46 people; today, one farmer provides enough food and fiber for 144 people. You have a great story to tell!

Agricultural products are a part of everyone’s lives, from the shoes we wear to the shirts on our backs, the medicines we take, the fuel we use, or the food we eat.

American consumers spend the lowest percentage of their annual income on food – just 10 percent.

(And if you just can’t think of anything at all to say, send your favorite recipe and explain the origin of each ingredient. If it is a beef recipe, you can write about the corn and hay or DDGs, etc. that went in to the beef before it was harvested.)

*Invite a non-farming neighbor to visit your farming operation:

It is amazing how many people who live in rural communities have little understanding of what those of us involved in raising crops and livestock actually DO on our farms. Take one hour of your week and give a tour of your farm.

There are a thousand other things you and I can do to increase public awareness of American agriculture. Not every one of us is a public speaker or feels comfortable taking a leadership role in a county or state commodity organization, but each of us has a role in protecting and promoting the industry.

What are you going to do?