How Supporting Farmers Benefits Society
By Jasmine Clark, Live Well Enhance You Contributing Writer
Have you enjoyed a tasty meal today? Thank a farmer!
National Farmers Day is October 12th in the US, but other countries have their own farmer celebrations on various days. Our society rests on the backs of farmers. If you’ve ever heard “No farms, no food,” it’s true. We don’t always think about the long hours, physical labor, and complex strategies that go into how farmers produce the food we eat. Farmers also play a key role in producing other things such as fabrics, medicine ingredients, and biofuels.
Keep reading to learn more about the agriculture industry and how you can help farmers today.
Farming facts
To celebrate all the farmers out there, let’s start with a few quick facts about farming.
Approximately 2% of the US population are farmers.
98% of American farms are run by families (either individuals, family partnerships, or family corporations)
Agriculture and related industries contribute more than one trillion dollars to the US GDP and provide over 22 million jobs.
36% of farm operators in the US are female and 56% have at least one female decision-maker.
Organic farming in the US increased by 56% between 2011 and 2016.
Current issues farmers face
Consumer trust - People don’t buy food that they don’t trust. They want to know what’s in their food and where it came from. The government created laws about how foods should be labeled, but more needs to be done. One example: The National Farmers Union explains that some companies label beef as a product of the USA even if it came from another country. This misleads consumers and hurts local farmers. Congress is considering passing the American Beef Labeling Act to solve this problem.
Pesticide exposure - Farmers need to protect their crops from pests, but pesticides can be dangerous. The nonprofit Beyond Pesticides states that “agricultural workers are regularly exposed, at atypically high rates, to chemicals that can pose considerable safety and health risks to humans (in addition to their impacts on the environment, non-human organisms, and ecosystems broadly).” The organization advocates for non-toxic pest management solutions and organic farming methods.
Disasters and diseases - Farmers have to navigate the impacts of natural disasters and animal/plant diseases. For example, Hurricane Ian caused destruction of some of Florida’s livestock and crops. Making things worse, many citrus crops in Florida had already been damaged by a disease called citrus greening. Farmers do their best to protect their farms, but some things are just out of their control.
Climate change - Climate change plays a role in the disasters and diseases farmers encounter, and sometimes farming practices can contribute to climate change. Fortunately, the US Department of Agriculture has been working with the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance to create the Climate-Smart Commodities program, a program that helps farmers across the country “reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon sequestration and storage, build climate resilience, and drive sustainability across the supply chain.”
Food waste - About one third of all food in the world ends up being wasted. In the US, the number is approximately 40%. While a small percentage of food waste is caused by farmers, the biggest contributor to food waste is people in their homes throwing away too much food.
How to support farmers
Buy from farmers markets - Buying from farmers markets is one of the best ways to support farmers, especially small farms that don’t have massive amounts of land and resources to help them sell their products. Search “[your city or state] farmers market” to find one near you. You can even volunteer at a farmers market if you want to take an extra step to support farmers.
Buy local food at the grocery store - Next time you’re at the grocery store, look for food from small local farms. If you don’t see much food from small local farms, contact the store manager to ask about it. This is a way to help farmers and strengthen the local economy. Plus, buying local products cuts down the need for shipping, which reduces vehicle pollution.
Invest in community supported agriculture - Community supported agriculture is a system in which people contribute money to local farms to help pay for the cost of growing food, and they receive some of the harvest. Having financial backing from the community makes it much easier for farmers to do their work, and since contributors are rewarded with fresh produce on a regular basis, it’s a win-win. You can use this USDA website to find community supported agriculture in your area.
Vote for politicians who help farmers - When it’s time to vote for your elected officials, be sure to research the candidates’ policies and pay special attention to policies involving farmers, agriculture, and the environment. Vote for politicians who care about helping farmers succeed and promote sustainability.
Be careful not to waste food - Farmers work hard to produce food, but a lot of it goes to waste. Check out these solutions for reducing food waste.
Read farmer stories - What’s it really like to be a farmer? If you’re not familiar with farm life, it’s fascinating to read about real farmers’ experiences. Take a look at this inspiring article about farmers who share their motivations for getting into farming and the challenges and successes they’ve had.
Regardless of whether you’ve done farm work before or you’ve never been near a tractor in your life, it’s clear that farmers matter, and they deserve more than one day of appreciation. We depend on farmers for so many things, so let’s do what we can to help them thrive!
Jasmine Clark is a freelance writer from North Carolina. She enjoys writing about topics such as stress relief and positive thinking. She likes to encourage others to find ways to calm down and relax. In her spare time, she loves to write fiction stories and watch TV and YouTube. You can find her on Instagram @cozysachi.
