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Recognizing agriculture’s role during National Ag Week

Many in the ag industry are highlighting the role agriculture plays in providing a safe and abundant food supply during National Ag Day and Week.

Don Lamb is the director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

“It’s a matter of national security that we have enough food to provide for not only our country, but other countries,” he says. “When you really take it to that macro level, agriculture is so important that having one National Ag Day is something we ought to celebrate.”

Lamb is also a farmer who raises corn, soybeans, popcorn, and wheat in Boone County.

FFA member Gracie Greene, a senior with Hope FFA in Indiana, says agriculture is the foundation for everything.

“I actually have a sticker that is on my MacBook that says agriculture is the backbone of America. And if you think about it, it really is the backbone to any civilization. If you can’t provide the basic necessity of food, water, and shelter for anybody then you’re not going to be able to perform a strong civilization that’s going to be able to provide for its people,” she says. “It’s important to have that strong foundation to build on and it grows things like economy and allows you to form a more structured government and have more educated citizens. It’s extremely vital.”

Indiana FFA President Seth Ariens says he found his place in agriculture again through FFA. 

“I grew up on a dairy farm and when the dairy industry went the way that it did, my family ended up moving away from the farm and selling the cows. FFA was how I found my place back in agriculture. When we moved away from the farm, I didn’t know what to do without cows to milk and feed and tractors to drive. Through my Supervised Agricultural Experience as well as FFA in general, I found my place in ag again. My SAE is sheep production, I raise show lambs, and I’m really passionate about that. I love to take any opportunity I can to thank the industry and thank FFA.”

National Ag Day was March 21 and National Agriculture Week runs through March 27.

Brownfield interviewed Lamb, Greene, and Ariens during FFA Advocacy Day on Tuesday at the Indiana Statehouse.