Thank a Farmer for Food, Fiber, Fuel, and Our Future

By Dennis McKinney, State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

March 22 is National Ag Day, a time for us to thank farmers and ranchers for feeding, sheltering and powering our nation. We also want to celebrate and recognize the pivotal role of producers in mitigating climate change through voluntary conservation efforts.

Climate change is evidenced by persistent drought, frequent tornadoes and storms, and more powerful wildfires. Our agricultural communities are on the frontlines. Now is the time for us to act. As usual, Kansas producers are doing their part.

We’re focused on providing producers tools to improve our environment. As part of this, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken proactive steps to make programs better for producers and our nation.

We bolstered the Conservation Reserve Program, providing an incentive for climate-smart practices and investing in partnerships to better measure the benefits of this program.

With our Environmental Quality Incentives Program, we launched a new cover crop initiative as well as new conservation incentive contract option, all with a goal to make available additional funds to help producers conserve natural resources.

And finally, we’re enhancing Federal crop insurance to support conservation. In 2021 and 2022, we provided producers with a premium benefit for acres planted to cover crops.

You might be wondering, why so much emphasis on cover crops? Cover crops help soil sequester more carbon, a key tool for mitigating climate change; they prevent runoff, leading to cleaner water; and they boost production through improved soil health. But cover crops are just one tool. Kansas producers are also using no till, strip till, terracing, and high-tech nutrient management. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/climatechange/?cid=nrcseprd1881023.

Our staff work one-on-one with producers to conserve natural resources, improve their operations, and manage risk. This year’s National Ag Day theme is “Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.” We know from firsthand experience – farmers and ranchers are doing this. In partnership with USDA, America’s farmers and ranchers have reduced erosion, improved habitat, and created the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. On National Ag Day, and every day, we encourage you to thank a farmer or rancher for food, fiber, and fuel – and our future.

For additional program information or questions, please contact us.