Alabama is blessed to be in an area when farming has been, and continues to be acknowledged and appreciated. Just why, the group of community leaders gathered on a cold, winter morning but, for sure, in had to do with farming.

Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate has launched a new campaign, “Thank a Farmer,  which aims to increase public appreciation for farmers and raise awareness about where our food comes from.  

“We encourage Alabamians to show gratitude for the food they enjoy  and the people who grow it,’ Pate said. “Farmers are among our greatest conservation allies. They produce the crops that help feed, fuel and clothe a growing world, while caring for the lands and waters on which their livelihoods depend.”

For thousands of years, agriculture has played an important role in everyday life. Before agriculture, hunting and gathering enabled humans to survive. It wasn’t until the transition to the planned sowing and harvesting of crops that humans began to thrive.

So, thank a farmer for that first cup of coffee in the morning and a refreshing morning shower and clothes to wear. Thank a farmer for the opportunity to drive to work or through the mountains in the fall.

Pate said we depend on our farmers for food, our entertainment, our education and the many opportunities we have at work and at play, so we should thank our farmers, not just now and then, every day.