Thank a farmer.
It’s a reminder that could not be timelier.
When cities across the US began lockdowns in March of 2020, eyes turned to agriculture. Images of empty grocery shelves appeared on every news station and social platform. Having little time to prepare for a changing work setting, a loss of childcare and more, the question of where the next meal would come from was overwhelming. Yet, despite the sudden rise in demand causing short-term shortages, the food supply chain came through.
Thank you, farmers was one of the messages spread on social as many came to realize how much they depend on the families that dedicate their lives to growing the food that feeds the country. Fresh meat for dinner, a jug of milk for breakfast, and even flour for the trials of new bakers brought comfort in a time of uncertainty. The one constant through it all was the dedication of essential workers.
When Americans realized they would be using their kitchen more for the foreseeable future, they turned to nutritious, sustainable products like dairy, depending on farmers to keep these foods accessible. And they did. Dairy farmers increased production and worked to bring more milk to families, to students, and to those suddenly facing food insecurity, all despite their own struggles of 2020 that many consumers faced.
Since then, farmers have continued to work hard every day, producing food for families to enjoy as a meal together. Within the dairy sector itself, farmers work to not only make milk accessible today, but to improve the efficiency of their farms, producing more milk with less resources, so that milk will be available tomorrow, too.
With an important job to do that often goes unnoticed, dairy farmers work to ensure a continual supply of milk to our communities not just in times of uncertainty, but every day.
And while it’s been a year since many of us realized how important farmers are to our daily lives, this Ag Week, don’t let your appreciation for the Southeast’s dairy farmers go unspoken. Thank a farmer.