Commissioner Miller Asks All Texans to Celebrate National Ag Day (3/16/2015)

AUSTIN – Agriculture is important in our lives 365 days a year. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) wants every Texan to join us on Wednesday, March 18, National Ag Day, as we celebrate what agriculture brings to the table every day to make our lives better. Each spring, time is set aside for National Ag Day to honor the hardworking individuals who are our nation’s backbone and provide us with the food and fiber that sustains our lives. National Ag Week also runs March 15-21.

"This is the time to recognize the incredible impact agriculture has on our daily lives,” said Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. “The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the flowers we give on Mother's Day and the fuel we put in our vehicles are rooted in the same industry, and that’s agriculture. The truth is Texas agriculture matters."

Agriculture has a $115 billion economic impact on the Lone Star State. From the Pineywoods to the Panhandle down to the Rio Grande, Texas is one of the most agriculturally diverse states in the nation. Agriculture is the state’s second largest industry and employs one in seven working Texans. The majority of the state’s land — approximately 80 percent — is used in some form of agricultural production.

If you ask many Americans about where their food comes from, you will often hear a similar response: It comes from the grocery store. National Ag Day is the perfect time to educate Texans about the impact agriculture has on their daily lives and what it really takes to put food on the dinner table. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to promote the fact that agriculture is not just about a farmer driving an old tractor; today’s agriculture is about advancing technology and positive growth.

“Agriculture has always been about discovering and inventing new ways to produce the finest food, fiber and fuel,” Commissioner Miller said. “Because of their commitment and love of agriculture, Texas farmers and ranchers will continue to do what they do best, and that’s produce quality products to meet a growing global demand."

National Ag Day and National Ag Week are organized by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA). A nonprofit organization composed of leaders in the agricultural, food and fiber community, ACA dedicates its efforts to increasing the public’s awareness of agriculture’s role in society.

Follow TDA on Facebook and use the hashtag #AgDay to help us celebrate National Ag Day and Texas agriculture.