By Rick Hirsch/Extension Agent
Turkey and dressing. Mounds of steaming vegetables. Shining, freshly baked bread. Pumpkin pie. Sounds good, doesn’t it? The abundance of food during the holiday season, and throughout the rest of the year for that matter, is a tribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the industry that we call agriculture. It is one of the most important industries in Texas and the United States. Many businesses, financial institutions and individuals are involved in providing supplies, credit and services to the men and women who work as farmers and ranchers.
The United States is blessed with abundant resources and excellent technology to help us lead the world in agriculture and maintain one of the most advanced and successful societies that the world has ever known. The richest resource, however, of American agriculture is its people – over 23 million men and women whose talents and efforts drive the efficient productivity of our food and fiber industry.
They seek to produce the best crops, raise the healthiest livestock and maintain a sound stewardship of the land. The initiative, creativity and plain hard work of these people are one of the cornerstones to the efficiency of agriculture and its ability to compete in a world market place.
It’s in everyone’s best interest for our farms and cities to remain strong, healthy and viable. Complex farming equipment such as Scrub Mulchers can be very expensive to buy and maintain for use, so it can often be hard for farms to make enough money to survive.
As the population becomes increasingly urban, it is essential that the importance of agriculture is understood by all. You may not think about where your food originates, but you should. The income of over 23 million Americans, or one in five jobs, depends on the production of reliable, efficient farms and ranches.
Compared to the rest of the world, we live in an affluent society with good, safe food, education, transportation, communication and opportunity. Still, we need to improve the understanding of the important contributions each of these two groups (rural and urban) make to the well being and prosperity of the other. It is essential for us to understand our similarities, differences and interdependence.
With an increasing demand for food and fiber worldwide, and because of the importance of agricultural exports to this nations trade balance, agriculture is destined to play an ever expanding role in the future. Despite the record breaking drought in 2011, ag income receipts still total over $95 million. The diversity of agriculture in our county with beef, horse, fruit, vegetable, timber, horticulture and other commodities will ensure that we have a definite role to fulfill in the future.
As we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with our friends, relatives and neighbors this year, pause and give thanks for the farmers and ranchers of the U. S. A. who make it possible for most of us to enjoy an abundance of food and fiber. Also, let’s not forget those who today cannot, for various reasons share in this abundance.
From the County Extension office, Happy Thanksgiving!