Farmers and farm employees across this country are working smarter and harder than ever to feed the rest of us. In spite of challenges like COVID-19, volatile markets, high costs, climate change, increased regulation and 
hard-to-find employees, farmers just keep finding a way. Farmers work in rural communities where most other businesses would struggle to survive. This rural economic activity produces quality, sustaining jobs that support families, contribute to local tax revenues, and multiply critical income throughout small businesses in the communities. They use and renew natural resources as they produce fiber, energy, and most importantly, the food that we all need. In this time of COVID-19 people across the land are apparently beginning to awaken and see the value that farms and their employees bring to our society, faithfully, every day.
An article published yesterday by Gallup, the famous polling organization, states that: “Farming and agriculture was already among the top-rated industries before 2020, but it has now moved to No. 1 with a 69% positive rating — an 11-percentage-point increase.” Did you get that? Farming is the most positively viewed industry in America!
Farmers, thank you for being who you are and doing what you do! We see you, we know you, and we appreciate you!
_________________________________________________________________________________
By Richard Stup, Cornell University. Permission granted to repost, quote, and reprint with author attribution.
The post Farmers: We Appreciate You! appeared first in The Ag Workforce Journal
