Every March we celebrate National Agriculture Week — March 17-23 this year — to recognize the abundance American farmers provide and show consumers where food and fiber products come from and how they’re produced. It’s also a timely reminder of the essential role agriculture plays in our national, state, and local economies.
This year Hillsdale County Farm Bureau's Promotion & Education (P&E) team will celebrate Ag Week by sponsoring radio interviews with local farmers. Tune into WCSR 92.1 FM daily, starting March 18 at 9 a.m., to learn more about these local farmers in their own words:
- Ethan Bognar, Bognar Hay & Cattle Co., Adams Township
- Scott Ferry, Ferry Farms/Carnico Foods, Litchfield Township
- Joe Ladd, Ladd Farms, Wright Township
- Steve Meckley, Meckley Flavor Fruit Farm, Somerset Township
- Jessica Smith, R&J Farms, Ransom Township
“Our intent is to better connect consumers with local farmers to help them understand where and how food is produced,” said Joe Draper, who manages P&E activities for Hillsdale County Farm Bureau. “There are several farms in Hillsdale County that produce food products and sell them directly to consumers, which builds valuable relationships between farmers and their customers.”
Hillsdale’s P&E team will also be promoting an Ag Week drawing to give away a basket full of locally made food products. Watch our Facebook page, where the drawing link will go liveMarch 17. The winner will be announced Monday, March 25.
Everyday consumers can celebrate National Agriculture Week as well; click here for some activity ideas.
Hillsdale County Farm Bureau is your gateway several opportunities for supporting local agriculture and learning more about farm-sector career opportunities for young people:
- Scholarship applications for high school seniors are accepted through March 25.
- Project RED (Rural Education Day), April 11, is a hands-on agricultural learning experience for fourth-graders; school districts across Hillsdale County have already registered.
- Agriculture Career Day, Sept. 17, is for high-schoolers in Hillsdale County including Addison, Homer and Hudson school districts. Students interested in taking part are encouraged to register with their district in August.
Many agricultural commodity groups offer educational materials on their websites to support consumers in learning more about where their food comes from. Get started with this handy resource from the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
Get involved in promoting agriculture today by visiting our website, Facebook page or by calling our office (517-437-2458) for more upcoming opportunities.
