Thank a Farmer/Rancher

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love food...and Thanksgiving has traditionally been all about food.  Of course, it is a time to give thanks for so many blessings in our lives, but then we all sit down to eat! At my house, we give thanks for beef with Certified Angus Beef prime rib roast, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, fresh homemade rolls and pies of every flavor! A salad or two may be thrown in there, with another side dish to fill out the plate. All in all, it is a very full plate and it is time we said thank you to the people who make that happen!

Today, November 20, has been officially declared "Thank a Farmer" Day in Kansas and other states across the nation. I am very excited about this opportunity for people to hear good things about beef and other food products, as well as make their own comments to farmers and ranchers to show their appreciation.

Throughout the week, farmers and ranchers have been posting ag-related tweets on twitter and ag facts on their facebook status.  Each day, I have posted a different beef-related subject that I am thankful for.  I have a number of non-ag folk as friends on facebook, and they have been prolific at posting on my status to say thanks or simply show their support of farmers and ranchers.

This campaign was created to spread the good word about beef and food production in the U.S. It is in response to a few well-placed, yet not-well researched, articles and books that condemn the food producers of our nation. I am always amazed that Americans have the audacity to complain about the scientific advances of food production. We have the cheapest, safest, most abundant food supply in the world and we sit with our plates full and our tummies bulging and complain about the science that produces that food. What arrogance!

As the population in America, as well as the world, grows we need to find more ways to feed more people--and these activists think we can do it with less? These technological advances are constantly scrutinized by people much more informed than you and I to make sure they are safe practices. If it is not safe, I wouldn't feed it to my family either.

So today on Thank A Farmer Day, I give thanks to all the food producers out there who work hard every day (even on holidays) to care for the animals, grow the crops, and produce and process the food that I eat every day. I am not wealthy, but I can feed my family of seven--three times a day, every day!  On Thanksgiving, I will say a prayer that they can continue to produce a safe, abundant food supply that is nutritious and affordable for all!

For more information, check out ThankAFarmer website! Leave a note of thanks and be entered to win a gift from Omaha Steaks.