365 Sunrises And 7 Billion Mouths to Feed – Ag Day 2014

By Mary Dunckel, Michigan State University Extension

This year’s celebration will mark the 41^st anniversary of National Ag Day sponsored by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA). On this day, members of the agriculture industry join forces to promote agriculture and to help educate millions of consumers about the importance of agriculture in their daily lives.

The National Ag Day program goals include helping every American:

• understand how food, fiber and renewable resource products are produced
• value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy
• appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products
• acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and renewable resource industry

Michigan State University Extension encourages everyone to get involved in the recognition and celebration of agriculture. Michigan has approximately 52,000 farms and ranks second only to California in the diversity of agriculture products grown and raised. Michigan farmers produce more than 300 different agriculture commodities and Michigan leads the nation in the production of 17 commodities. You probably know that Michigan ranks first in the nation for the production of blueberries and tart cherries, but do you know that Michigan farmers grow more pickling cucumbers than any other state? As you can see, there is much to celebrate!

Source:msu.edu