Nowadays, many people, who are not well informed of the role agriculture plays in our world, tend to make assumptions that are not true about farming activities. We should promote education on related topics for people to better understand agriculture.

Primarily, people think that agriculture is the main cause of global warming and greenhouse gases. In fact, agriculture is one of the lowest producers of greenhouse emissions. In terms of sustainability, farmers and ranchers use animal manure as fertilizer to ensure nutrient-rich soil and conserve resources needed for food and plant production. Farmers also adopt more advanced technologies to produce more food with limited land available. They have more efficient livestock, adapting to the rapid increase in the global population. Since 1977, U.S. Cattle ranchers raise 30% fewer cattle, but produce 31% more beef, and for each pound of beef produced they use 33% less land and 12% less water. Therefore, agriculture does not have a huge impact on greenhouse emissions.

Many people believe that majority of farms and ranches are corporate, and farmers treat animals badly. This is not true. 97% of all the farms in the U.S. are family-owned and are under 150 acres. Farmers do care about the welfare of animals because these animals bring them profit and livelihood. They work 24/7, striving to feed and provide. Farmers are educated to comply with the strict regulations and are moving along with the advancement of technology, to ensure the quality of food sent to the consumers’ table, while striving to make ends meet in a constantly changing economic environment.

We propose to raise national funding to support organizations and programs devoted to agricultural education. These programs will provide future agricultural workforce with relevant trainings and increased knowledge of food and agricultural sciences. They will also inform consumers of agricultural products, where their food comes from and who grows it, so people can have more respect for the farmers and ranchers that work hard to provide for the world.