Today’s guest blogger is Rebecca Webert. Rebecca works for Farm Credit of the Virginia’s Knowledge Center, who goal is to serve as a network agent to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources among all of those interested in agriculture.

“If you ate today…thank a farmer”

Chances are you have seen this graphic at some point on social media or the internet. It is a catchy phrase and one easy to toss around.  But what does it really mean?

For many in the agricultural community, it’s a gentle reminder that even though only 2% of people in the United States are directly involved in production agriculture, the industry is vital to everyone. It’s a way of saying no matter what your beliefs or preference – no matter if you are vegetarian or buy only organic food, if your diet consists of chicken nuggets and French fries or you do not eat anything fried – someone had to grow the food that you eat.

The vast majority of people today have no direct connection with the production of our food. For many, the weekly trip to the grocery store is as close as we get to agriculture. That makes it easy to forget that our food does not come from the grocery store but rather from fields and farms, through the hard work of many different farmers and producers. Yes, we buy our food from grocery stores (or some other type of market). But there is so much more to it than that!

Farm to Fork

The graphic above is still simplified from the true work that goes into bringing you safe, reliable, healthy food – but it helps to visualize some of the basics. Someone has to grow the animals or plants that form the basis of your food. They have to feed it (yes, even plants need food), care for it (which can be challenging), process it (to turn it into something you want to eat – yogurt, cheese, hamburgers), and then transport it to a location where you can buy it.

So the next time you grab a pizza or some crackers, eat some chicken nuggets, enjoy a salad or eat some cheese or yogurt, or sit down to a hamburger and french fries remember the effort that went into bringing you that food. And as you eat, remember to (mentally) thank a farmer.

Want more information on agriculture? Visit the Farm Credit of the Virginia’s Knowledge Center website at www.farmcreditknowledgecenter.com or find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FCKnowledgeCenter.