Many of you may not know it, but March 8th marks National Agriculture Day! What does that mean to us inside the industry, well this gives us a chance to spotlight what it is that we do 10, 12, sometimes 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.

What does it mean to the rest of the world? Well it gives them a chance to really get insight into how much agriculture effects our every day lives. Without farmers and ranchers the vast majority of this country would not eat. Plain and simple. To me, that is effective enough for me to thank farmers and ranchers for all the hard work they do to feed the rest of us. Because let’s face it, farming is HARD WORK.

I know many out there paint agriculture to be a pretty picture, which it is indeed beautiful. But it is also many people putting their blood, sweat, and tears into producing products for the rest of us. And sometimes they are at the will of mother nature. Which is why farmers and ranchers are proud of what it is that they do. And regardless of whether they are organic, commercial, “factory farm”, whatever they are all in this same umbrella we call agriculture. They are all providing us with food and products the rest of us NEED to survive on this planet. They are being stewards to the land by knowing how to cultivate it and use it so that future generations (their own future generations) can follow in the same footsteps they did, and like the rest of us, they are working hard to feed and support their families. So even though farmers and ranchers may not commute to work or be stuck in a cubicle all day long, they are people just like the rest of us. And today, please THANK THEM for what it is that they do for the rest of us.

I know I am thankful that there are people out there raising cattle, hogs, and chickens so that they can end up in MY shop and give me a job to do. Without those people, my family and I would be out of work. Chico Locker & Sausage Co. would have never made it. So thank you to any and all of you out there who farm, ranch, and produce food to put on the table. Thank you for working hard for me, I appreciate it!

Please join me (and these people below) in thanking farmers and ranchers today!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9b-ymBW80w&w=560&h=315]