When I sit down at the dinner table with my family, I find myself thinking about our food and the journey it took to get to our table. Behind every glass of milk, slice of bread and package of cheese is a farmer making hundreds of deliberate decisions every day.
In celebration of National Farmers Day, I want to share what I wish more people understood about farmers, the choices they make and the positive impact they have on each of us at home.
What are the challenges farmers face?
Every farmer carries a unique set of pressures, but at their core, are not all that different from those many of us face.
Take a look at your family’s budget. When the cost of groceries, gas and childcare rise, we feel the tightness of our checkbooks. Similarly, farmers feel that at a magnified scale. Costs of seed, feed, fertilizer and fuel can fluctuate overnight. Not only that, but unlike most jobs, farmers don’t know what they’re going to make at the end of the day; it all depends on markets. Imagine working all year while not knowing how much you’ll be paid.
Additionally, Mother Nature is a farmer’s business partner and she can be a difficult one. Storms, droughts or early frosts can wipe out months of hard work. It’s like working weeks on an important project at work, only to have a coworker unplug your computer before hitting “save”.
Challenges in farming can be heavy, but farmers show up because they know families like mine and yours are depending on them.
How is technology changing agriculture?
Technology is a farmer’s friend when it comes to a more sustainable future. Today’s farmers use GPS-guided equipment, drone technology, soil sensors and data programs that help strategically guide decisions on the farm.
Every decision on a farm matters – not for today but for every day to come. Farmers use technology to make intentional, informed choices that balance productivity while protecting the land.
Some ways technology is advancing agriculture include:
- Utilizing sensor technology to apply the right amount of water at the right rate at the right time, reducing waste and preventing erosion.
- Utilizing GPS systems to allow fertilizer to be applied with pinpoint accuracy, keeping nutrients where they belong: in the soil and out of waterways.
- Drones allow farmers to scout fields in minutes to identify problems early so fewer chemicals need to be applied.
What is stewardship and why does it matter?
Farmers know that their livelihood depends on healthy soil, clean water and well-cared for animals, and that starts with being good stewards. Stewardship is the responsibility of caring for land, animals and resources in a way that sustains them for generations. And it is at the core of who farmers are.
Farmers care for the land using practices like planting cover crops, rotating fields and protecting waterways. These decisions protect the soil so it can keep producing long into the future. Every acre is managed with thought and purpose because the choices farmers make today shape what the land will look like for the next generation.
The same care extends to animals. Whether it’s cows, pigs, chickens or anything in between, farmers pay close attention to their comfort and health. They decide what feed will provide balanced nutrition, design barns that offer shelter from extreme weather and work with veterinarians to keep animals healthy. Technology plays a role here, too: from climate-controlled barns that keep animals safe during heat waves to sensors that monitor cow activity to catch health issues early.
Bottomline: Farmers care
These decisions aren’t random. They’re intentional acts of care. Just as we make thoughtful choices about what’s best for our families, farmers do the same for their land and animals.
I spend a lot of time thinking about what goes into my family’s meals. I want food that’s safe, nutritious and raised with care. Farmers want that, too.
The choices they make, from how to care for an animal to when to harvest a crop, are intentional acts of stewardship. They’re weighing what’s best for the environment, their community and the families they feed.
On National Farmers Day, let’s celebrate not just the food farmers provide, but the thought, care and responsibility behind every single decision they make.