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Wisconsin Ag Connection - November 20, 2009
With America having an abundant supply of safe, wholesome and affordable food; and Wisconsin contributing more cheese and cranberries than any other state, along with many other commodities like
potatoes and other vegetables, Governor Jim Doyle felt it appropriate to proclaimed Friday, November 20 as 'Thank You Farmers and Ranchers Day' in Wisconsin.
According to State Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen, the holiday season is a time to thank America's farmers and ranchers, who produce the food that nourishes us and serves as the centerpiece for
family gatherings and holiday celebrations.
"Whether you raise thousands of dairy cattle or graze 35 cows, or whether you're a cash cropper selling corn and soybeans on the international market or an organic vegetable farmer selling direct to
consumers, you're a vital link in the food chain, and we want and need you in Wisconsin," Nilsestuen said. "Our farmers not only supply us with food. They indirectly provide thousands of jobs in food
processing and distribution, and in farm equipment and supply manufacturing and sales. Their taxes support rural roads and schools, and they're important customers who help keep small-town businesses
alive. All are good reasons to say thank you to our farmers."
Doyle's proclamation lists several reasons that farmers deserve thanks. For example, less than one percent of the American population works in food production, yet the average American farmer now feeds
144 people. He also says one out of every ten Wisconsinites is employed in agriculture, providing over 353,000 jobs to the state. And Wisconsin's 14,800 beef producers contribute to the $12.3 billion meat
industry in the state.
Agriculture in Wisconsin is a $59 billion industry, providing food for our tables, sustaining rural communities, preserving working farmland and habitat and protecting the environment.
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