March 19 is officially National Ag Day, set aside to celebrate farmers and food production in America. Different organizations have planned breakfasts, dialogues and other programs for National Ag Day. But most farmers celebrated agriculture like they do every day of the year- they put their boots on and went outside to care for their livestock.

You see, farmers don’t get days off, even National Ag Day. They can’t call in sick to work if they feel ill or take a vacation day without considering first the needs of their livestock and their entire farm.

Though National Ag Day is celebrated only one day per year, I think about farmers more often than that. As I think of my daily routine, I think of the many people, several of them farmers, who play a part in growing the food I consume, the cotton for the clothes I wear, and the corn that goes into the ethanol that fuels my car and takes me to and from work. And I’m grateful for the farmers, like my parents, who work even if they feel ill and consider the needs of their livestock before arranging a well-deserved vacation.

Ag day or not they will be out there doing their work.

Written by Bethany Pint.
Bethany is an Ag Commodities Writer for Iowa Farm Bureau.