Thank a Farmer

Happy Thanksgiving Week Everyone,

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year.  I am lucky enough go back home to the farm in Illinois, spend time with my family and – the best part – enjoy the delicious harvest that America’s farmers provide to my family’s table- turkey, dressing and farm-fresh pecan pies, to name a few.

More importantly, it is a time to be thankful for all the things that are special to us.  This year, alongside our family, friends and jobs, I challenge everyone to make sure farmers and the land they steward, are added to that list.

In today’s urban-centric world, people have lost connection with farms and can forget that food doesn’t magically appear on the shelves of our grocery stores – but through the fertility of America’s farmland and the toil of those that work it.  Our farmland is our nation’s most precious resource and yet, we are paving over the very land that sustains us– two acres every minute!

However, despite this sobering development, there are many positive signs bucking this trend: a bourgeoning interest in local food unfolding across the nation; an increase of 13% in the number of farmers markets in the U.S. and an active number of Americans that are planning for local agriculture that connects farm-fresh food to our communities (See our Growing Local campaign). All of these efforts are benefitting both farmers and consumers, keeping farms viable and healthy food on our tables.

Moreover, there is also a growing concern over our nation’s food security-making sure we have the land necessary to keep our food production right here on American soil- an issue that I find particularly interesting and will address in a later post.

So, while there is much work to be done, there is movement and progress to be thankful for.  This Thanksgiving, as we look over the delicious home cooked meals in front of us, let’s applaud the efforts of all those involved in the process and remember the very important fact – if you don’t have farmland, you don’t have food!

Happy Thanksgiving!

About the Author: Jon Scholl is President of American Farmland Trust.  Prior to AFT, he served as Counselor to the Administrator for Agriculture Policy at the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  Jon and his family operate a corn and soybean farm in McLean County, Illinois.