November 25, 2009
Thank a Missouri Farmer as You Feast this Thanksgiving
At an event at the Forck family farm in Cole County, Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler today recognized the thousands of Missouri farmers thanking them for their hard work and commitment to providing consumers some of the highest quality, most affordable food in the world. On behalf of Governor Jay Nixon, Dr. Hagler proclaimed today as Thank A Farmer Day in Missouri presenting an official proclamation to Kelly Forck. Forck Farms is a 5th generation Missouri Century farm growing corn and soybean and raising cattle.
"Tomorrow millions of American families will sit down for Thanksgiving to share a meal together in laughter and fellowship. When they do, we hope they all will take a moment to give thanks to our farmers for providing the safest, most affordable, reliable food in the world," said Dr. Hagler. "Most of the food on our tables this Thanksgiving, if not all of the food, has been produced by farmers across the state and the U.S."
Missouri's nearly 108,000 farms directly contribute over $12 billion to the state's economy. Missouri remains one of the leading states in the production of livestock and row crops. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 1940, Americans spent over 20 percent of their incomes on food. Today, Americans spend less than 10 percent.
"Farming in Missouri is not just a job, it is a way of life bringing many benefits to our entire state," said Dr. Hagler. "We are thankful that we have many people across Missouri willing to make the sacrifices necessary so we can enjoy our Thanksgiving meal together."