The Nebraska Corn Board is proud to celebrate National Farmer’s Day this harvest season and recognize those who work the long hours to do one of the most important jobs in the world.
Most people can think of a farmer in their lives: a father, a mother, a neighbor, or themselves. Only 2% of the population work to feed the world, meaning all farmers have an important task at hand. One U.S. farm feeds 166 people annually, in the U.S. and abroad.
There are two million of these farms spread across the country. In these operations, women make up 43% of the total number of U.S. farm operators according to the USDA.
As many can attest to, farming is much more than a job, it’s a lifestyle. In America, 97% of farms are family farms meaning they’re family-owned but most importantly family-operated.
Today farmer’s use technology to efficiently use the resources of their land while producing more and more each year. This is evident by the increase in bushels harvested from 191.1 million bushels in the 1900’s to 1.79 billion bushels today.
“We are pleased to celebrate and thank Nebraska farmers not only today but every day,” says Kelly Brunkhorst, Executive Director of the Nebraska Corn Board. “With agriculture as the number one industry in the state of Nebraska, we pride ourselves in our farmers’ work ethic, determination, and passion for what they do.”
Next time you sit down for family dinner or wander through the aisles of a grocery store, thank a farmer. They deserve it.
