Celebrate National Ag Day!

March 15 is Ag Day! However, we all celebrate agriculture everyday. Growing up on a farm provides some of the best life lessons and instills great values. Many of these farms are multi generational, so it's important to take good care of the land so it can be passed down to the next generation. For those that didn't grow up on farms, agriculture is still important and very relevant. It provides nutritious food for your dinner tables.

Agriculture is a big deal in Indiana. In fact, 83 percent of land is farms, forests and woodlands.

There may be fewer farms operating each year, but agriculture continues to be a major economic driver in rural communities across Indiana. We rank 38th in land mass in the nation, but continue to rank in the top five in many agricultural commodities. Many states are big in one or two things, but Indiana is diverse and are a powerhouse in our nation's agricultural industry.

Here's how the Hoosier State ranks nationally, according to the USDA NASS:

• 1st in commercial duck production, wood office furniture, kitchen cabinet manufacturing
• 2nd in popcorn production, tomatoes for processing, ice cream production, total eggs produced, cropland planted with a cover crop
• 3rd in egg layers inventory, soybeans, spearmint, fresh market cantaloupe
• 4th in turkeys raised, peppermint
• 5th in corn for grain, fresh market watermelon, snap peas for processing

Additionally, Indiana agriculture contributes approximately $31 billion towards Indiana gross domestic product and the value of agricultural products last year totaled $11.2 billion.  In 2015, 14.7 million acres of farmland were cultivated by the state's 57,700 farming operations, 98 percent of which are family owned.

Agriculture creates jobs on the farms and in rural communities, in processing facilities and for many others involved in the supply chain.

National Ag Day was established by the Agriculture Council of America to recognize the abundance agriculture provides.

For generations, our families have dedicated their lives to raising livestock and crops, caring for the land and working hard each day to ensure that our food supply is safe and bountiful.

We encourage you to meet a farmer and learn more about today's farms and how farmers utilize technology to better care for the land, their animals and their crops. Agritourism provides many opportunities for consumers to experience the farm and meet the people behind your food.

On behalf of the farming community, we'd also like to thank you, our consumers, for buying our products.

Today, raise a glass of milk to all of the hard working men and women working in all sectors of agriculture.