Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) and other Kentucky farm organizations are highlighting agriculture’s achievements as part of “National Agriculture Week,” March 14-20.

In conjunction with the annual national recognition, Governor Steve Beshear designated March 20 as “Agriculture Day in Kentucky.”

“The agriculture industry across Kentucky continues to grow and change everyday, but remains a strong, vital piece to Kentucky’s economic strength,” said Mark Haney, Kentucky Farm Bureau President. “Recognizing National Agriculture Day in Kentucky allows us to focus on the importance of farming to our society and the critical role agriculture plays in providing food, fiber, fuel and other materials we use daily.”

KFB and other agricultural organizations took part in events across the state to promote how agriculture positively impacts us economically, environmentally, and socially. In KFB’s effort to educate the public, County Farm Bureau Women’s Committees were invited to visit elementary school classrooms across the state to read an agricultural book to students. They were then asked to discuss with the students the importance of agriculture in the hope of reaching Kentucky’s next generation with factual and valuable agricultural information.

According to the USDA, Kentucky farmers grossed $4.84 billion from the sale of farm products in 2008, a 39 percent increase from just five years ago. During 2009, the total number of farms in Kentucky increased by 200, for a total of 85,500. The most recent Census of Agriculture showed eighty-nine percent of Kentucky’s agricultural operations are still run by individuals or families, and most are still small farms.

National Agriculture Day, hosted by the Agriculture Council of America, is an effort to recognize and celebrate the contribution of agriculture on our everyday lives. The program encourages every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced as well as appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe affordable products.