Recognizing National Agriculture Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Agriculture Week, which begins on March 20, a week dedicated to honoring and acknowledging the efforts and hard work of American farmers and farm families.

While farmers, ranchers, producers, foresters, and farmworkers should be celebrated year-round, National Agriculture Week shines a bright light on where our Nation's food, fiber, and fuel come from. I have always said every American interacts with agriculture at least three times a day, whether they realize it or not: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a fundamental part of our lives, and it is the backbone of the American economy.

Celebrated during National Agriculture Week, National Agriculture Day began in 1973 as a way to recognize the unique value that farmers, ranchers, and foresters contribute to our society, contributions that have only grown in importance over the past 2 years as the world faced a pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, economic instability, and, now, war in Europe.

Being a farmer has never been an easy job by any means. Feeding and clothing our Nation and the entire world is a monumental task. Every day, America's farm families dedicate their minds and bodies to achieving that feat.

Unfortunately, many farmers today are facing rising input costs, shrinking profit margins, and unrelenting supply chain issues, much of which has been self-inflicted by leadership in Washington, yet they continue to persevere.

As Republican leader of the House Agriculture Committee, I am honored to represent farm families in rural America and serve as their reliable voice in the Halls of Congress.

National Agriculture Week encourages every American to: understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply; value the essential role of agriculture in our economy; and acknowledge and consider successful career opportunities in the agriculture industry.

As the Representative of Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District, I have the great privilege of working firsthand with many farmers and foresters. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we are fortunate to have more than 59,000 farms. These men and women work hard to feed and clothe not just Pennsylvanians but our Nation and overseas. Their hard work results in agriculture being Pennsylvania's number one industry.

Agriculture and its associated industries contribute more than $135 billion, or about 18 percent of Pennsylvania's economy. The industry employs half a million workers, including 280,500 direct jobs.

I will end with one of my favorite quotes about agriculture from President Jefferson: ``Agriculture . . . is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.''

This sentiment rings just as true today as it did in President Jefferson's letter to George Washington in 1787. Our farm families truly embody the best of the American spirit through their moral integrity, hard work, and an unwavering dedication to their craft. Everyone in this Chamber and around the world benefits from the ``wise pursuit'' of agriculture, and we owe these patriots a resounding debt of gratitude.

I want to applaud the farmers, ranchers, and foresters who continue to devote their lives to American agriculture.

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