Celebrating agriculture: National Ag Day recognizes the agriculture industry’s nationwide importance
Every year, National Ag Day acknowledges and celebrates the abundance provided by U.S. agriculture, as well as the critical role the industry plays in the economy and in ensuring the nation’s safe, high-quality food supply.
“On National Ag Day, we celebrate the people who work every day to feed, fuel and sustain a growing world. After all, farmers and ranchers have one of the toughest – and most important – jobs in the world,” writes Corteva Agriscience in a March 6 blog post. “With the global population surpassing eight billion, the need for sustainable, efficient and resilient agricultural solutions has never been greater.”
With the theme of “Together We Grow,” this year’s national ag day will take place on March 18, marking the holiday’s 52nd year and falling in the middle of National Ag Week, which runs from March 17-21.
The Agriculture Council of America
Tasked with conducting the National Ag Day program each year in March, the Agriculture Council of America (ACA) is an organization composed of leaders in agriculture, food and fiber who are dedicated to increasing public awareness of agriculture’s vital role in the U.S.
According to the National Ag Day website, ACA is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization which receives funding donations from multiple companies, associations, foundations and individuals.
The website further notes ACA believes every American should “understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products; value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.”
The 2025 celebration
In honor of this year’s affair, ACA will host several events both online and in person.
To kick off the celebration, ag enthusiasts will gather on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Whitten Patio in Washington, D.C. for Ag Day at USDA, featuring guest speakers U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, as well as a student panel discussion.
Festivities will continue with the Celebration of National Ag Day in the Russell Senate Office Building from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Both events will be livestreamed free of charge through the Ag Day Virtual Event.
ACA notes the nationwide effort will work to share real stories of American agriculture and remind all citizens agriculture affects everyone in some way.
“From the food we eat and the fuel burned in our vehicles to the fiber in the clothes we wear and the oil used to make kids’ crayons, agriculture touches everyone in some way,” says ACA President Jenny Pickett in a Nov. 19, 2024 press release.
Additionally, on March 17, prior to National Ag Day, Agri-Pulse will host the 2025 Ag and Food Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event’s jam-packed agenda features panels on transforming agricultural productivity with artificial intelligence, controlled environment agriculture, ag trade and tariff policies, 2025 ag and food policy insights and much more.
Rollins will provide the luncheon keynote address and the day will wrap up with the Agri-Pulse Customer Appreciation Reception.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
