Nixon: Thank Farmers This Week And Through Hollidays
JEFFERSON CITY – From family gatherings to meals filled with fresh produce, meats and dairy products, Missouri farmers help make many holiday traditions possible, and more enjoyable. National “Thank A Farmer Day” on Nov. 21 honors their work, and Gov. Jay Nixon is asking that everyone who enjoys agriculture’s bounty take a moment to recognize the daily contributions Missouri’s farmers make.
Thank A Farmer Day is an annual celebration recognizing the contributions and sacrifices farmers and farm families make every day, so that Missouri families can gather together and give thanks with the safest, most reliable, most affordable food supply in the world.
“For many generations, Missouri’s agricultural producers have ensured that we all have ample and affordable quality food to enjoy at the dinner table for Thanksgiving and throughout the year,” Gov. Nixon said. “Even through the challenges they face, such as the severe drought our state experienced this year, Missouri farm families remain among the most productive and most innovative producers in the world, and they are owed our deepest gratitude.”
Missouri is home to more than 100,000 farms, spread across roughly 29 million acres. Each farmer feeds, on average, 150 people. Missouri is also home to hundreds of agri-tourism operations, welcoming individuals onto farms throughout the year and helping consumers connect with their food, where it comes from and how it is grown.
Missouri agriculture is a national leader, ranking second nationwide in the number of farms, second in beef cows, second in hay production, third in horses, fourth in rice, seventh in soybeans, ninth in corn and tenth in cotton. Missouri exports more agricultural products than 34 other states. The continued success of Missouri’s farmers, farm families and agribusinesses has led Missouri’s crops, livestock, processing and other agricultural sectors to account for billions of dollars each year.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.