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After you finish helping clear the shelves of the remaining produce at your local grocery store, take time to remember who feeds us.
It's National Agriculture Week, and farmers are rooted in our country's history. Our economy has thrived in part because of generations of farmers, some of the original workaholics in our country.
After glimpsing at the Missouri Department of Agriculture website, you wouldn't know it's National Agriculture Week.
Even the Missouri Department of Agriculture hasn't touted the week as much as it might otherwise have. Like everyone else, the department is focused on preventing the spread of COVID-19. A recent meme on the department's website shows a photo of a lone cow with the sun setting. Across the photo is the message: "Do Your Part. Practice Social Distancing."
Even amid our national emergency - especially during this emergency - we need to take time to remember agriculture is the No. 1 driver of our state's economy. It's an $88 billion industry.
Agriculture provides jobs for nearly 400,000 people across the state. More than 95,000 farms canvas nearly 27.8 million acres of land, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently thanked the front-line workers of the food supply chain, from the growers to the grocery store shelf stockers: "We're spoiled in America. You've provided us with such abundant, healthy, wholesome, affordable, available food that we take you for granted," he said.
Perhaps, with the stocking up and hoarding of food that we've seen in the past couple weeks, we won't take our food supply for granted as much.
This week we should all thank a farmer. Even better, put your words into action by supporting them. Buy Missouri-made food and other agriculture products.
News Tribune