By Kelly Schwalbe, AAEA PIF Chair
National Ag Day, America’s annual salute to the hard work of its farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses and sponsored by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA), is set for Thursday, March 14. To commemorate the occasion, a variety of activities are being planned around the country and in the nation’s capital.
Again this year in Washington, D.C., ACA, AAEA, NAFB and other ag industry groups are collaborating on a special program at the National Press Club from 1-4 p.m. on March 14. It includes remarks from US Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Censky, a panel of ag youth discussing ag career topics, and a newsmaker session and interviews on ag trade issues impacting American agriculture with leading trade experts. In addition, the Ag Day essay contest winner and John Deere Outstanding Young Farmers will be honored at the National Press Club event. The National Press Club program is open to all media (ag, consumer, business) and industry representatives attending the D.C.-area Ag Day activities, but attendees to this and other events need toregister in advance via the Ag Day website.
Other planned Ag Day events include a Celebration of American Ag reception for all media and industry attendees at the Capitol Visitor Center the evening before, National Ag Day proclamation and event at the USDA Building, and Capitol Hill visits by students. AAEA members and their companies, many of which are on the ACA board, are welcome to attend and encouraged to promote National Ag Day to their respective audiences. Additional information about the D.C.-planned events, as well as information about National Ag Day, logo graphics, educational information and other materials can be found on the Ag Day website at www.agday.org. We encourage all AAEA members to do their part in recognizing and promoting the tremendous accomplishments of America’s food producers as part of Ag Day.