Most of my weekly articles have had something to do with agriculture. I choose to write them like this because agriculture is something that a lot of people know exists, but don’t know much else about. I believe that as an individual with a strong background in agriculture, it is part of my duty to bring awareness to this industry and share my passion for it with others.
Agriculture is something I have grown up just knowing about. I was raised on a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania, so you can imagine how much my life was focused on agriculture. From a very young age, my passion for animals and agriculture developed. I’ve always had animals growing up and I’ve spent countless hours loving and cuddling them! I showed animals in 4-H and still show animals in FFA. These are two organizations that have shaped who I am as an individual. 4-H is a program for young children ages 8-18 to be involved in agriculture-related projects. 4-H gives you the ability to raise livestock and show them at your county fair, or do different projects including sewing, tie-dye, and rocket building alongside kids who quickly become some of your best friends. FFA is similar, but it is for older kids, those in high school up to age 21. FFA allows you to take agriculture-related classes in school as well as participate in agriculture-related Career Development Events, such as veterinary science, agronomy, or tractor driving.
My passion for agriculture stems very clearly from my experiences growing up as a child. My parents are third-generation farmers, with my brothers quickly growing up to be the fourth. My family has always been tightly knit, and we use our agriculture experiences to spend time together. County fairs and dairy shows are great times for me to spend with my siblings and my cousins. All of us have shown in 4-H and FFA and, as much as we complain about it, we really have a passion for it and get really excited when we’re in the heat of the moment. I’m so grateful to have agriculture to bring my family together.
Agriculture has also given me (literal) wings to meet new people and allows me to have amazing experiences. In December of 2018, I got to go on my first ever plane ride when I flew to Rogers, Arkansas to attend a National Young Farmers Education Association event. At this event I participated in an agriculture communications contest, but more importantly, I got to meet people from across the country who work in agriculture-related fields and have a passion for this industry. I was able to meet so many amazing people and share the love of agriculture. I learned new ways to approach tough topics and I learned so many things I never knew before about agriculture just by sitting down and talking to these people. The things you can learn about agriculture by having a conversation with someone who has a different agricultural background than you are just phenomenal. This industry has so many different areas that you’re guaranteed to always learn something new.
My passion for agriculture has led me to join organizations and support organizations that promote agriculture and share the importance of it with the public. I’ve written an article already about how amazing Miss Agriculture USA is, and how it has helped me make new friends. But this organization has also helped me gain confidence when sharing the importance of the agriculture industry with the public. It has given me a platform of which to stand on and voice my opinions about how amazing the agriculture industry is. Organizations that promote agriculture in this way, especially women in agriculture, are so important and should be cherished and supported.
I have a passion for agriculture because I’ve grown up in it and I realize the importance it has for life on earth. Agriculture is essential for human life in supporting ourselves through food and product production. It is a really important industry, and I hope that my passion for it can help others understand how important it is and how amazing it is. There is a lot of negativity associated with the agriculture industry, but my goal is to remove this negative filter that has been placed on agriculture and show the world that farmers really care about their animals and their land, and their biggest desire is to support and feed the world. Agriculture is truly amazing, and I hope that by sharing my articles each week about agriculture, I can spread a little bit of that ag love from me to you!