Ag Day

March 19, 2008

Hello everybody out there in farm country.

March 21, the first day of spring, was National Ag Day. We salute the American farm and ranch families across this nation. One farmer is able to feed 130 people in the U.S. and abroad. In 1930, a farm family was feeding 24 people. Now that's progress. A 4-wheel drive tractor is as powerful as 300 horses. My father could pick 100 bushels of corn in a day. We pick and shell 100 bushels of corn in 7 minutes.

Here in the U.S., we spend less than 10% of family income on food. No other country can match us. That leaves all the rest of our income to buy I-pods, flat screen TVs, 2-dollar cups of coffee, expensive sneakers, trendy clothes, and gadgets of all kinds. We have the good life served up to us, certainly in part, because of the American farmer and rancher, tractor manufacturer, food processor and all the members of the food team. They are just unbelievable.

It is difficult to make the public, which becomes more urban every year, aware of agriculture and the enormous contribution that we make. Most city people don't realize that 99% of our farms are family operations. They think farming is just big corporations. To really appreciate the vast stretch of crop land, one need only fly or drive across this country. Corn, soy beans, wheat, rice, vegetables as far as the eye can see. Don't forget the cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry.

These are good times for the ag industry. Demand for food has never been stronger. Add to that the corn being converted into ethanol and you have an explosive demand for what we produce never imagined -- net farm income in the 90 billion dollar range and exports topping 100 billion. Farm sector equity is up 55% in 5 years.

These "good times" can be sustained because this industry will invest in technology that will increase our yields, our efficiency, and insure our future.

We are asked to help provide energy security by producing renewable fuels. We can do it.

This program has been brought to you by Wal-Mart Stores and the Renewable Fuels Association.

Until next week, I am John Block from Washington.