Just 1 Percent

Who wouldn't love to hang out with these cute guys?

This week is National Ag Week and Ag Fest here at K-State. My social media is blowing up with cool ag facts, pictures of people “agvocating” and fun events across the nation and campus. One fact that I have heard over and over but that really stuck out to me this week was when College of Ag Dean Floros was quoted on K-State’s website talking about how less than 1 percent of the U.S. population is involved in production agriculture.

Wow. 1 percent. That’s it.

I didn’t grow up on a farm but I definitely didn’t grow up in the city either. Neither of my parents came from a production agriculture background (or even remotely close to agriculture) so I’m not really sure why my fourth grade self told my dad we needed to buy sheep. I’m also not really sure why he agreed. I am so glad he did because it gave me my first exposure to the agriculture industry, sparked a love for animals and for the people who grow our food.

My family doesn’t have sheep anymore and my poor college kid self doesn’t have the funds or the space for livestock. So I get my agriculture fix by spending time with Jake out at the swine barn, talking to wheat farmers and enjoying the College of Ag life here at K-State.

While most college graduates purchase a car or something cool like that once they get a big kid job, I can already foresee that my first splurge will probably look something like a few black heifers and some semen or maybe some sheep……or both. What can I say, I’m an ag kid through and through.

Such a small percentage of people do such a big job for this country and our world. Every day our lives are impacted by this one percent of the population. Every meal we eat, the clothes on our back, the houses we live in, and objects we use every day are made possible because of those who work in production agriculture. It is a pretty thankless job with long hours, a constant battle with Mother Nature and frequent attacks from the rest of the 99 percent of us who want to make absolutely sure they are producing the best, safest, healthiest and most environmentally cautious food supply possible (and they are).

Let’s be honest, you and I wouldn’t make it if it wasn’t for this one percent of our population.

A large scale production agriculture business will probably never be in my future, but I hope to someday have at least a small hobby herd of cattle or a club lamb operation, or both. No matter what someday I want to be counted in that one percent. For right now, I am proud to work for and tell the story of the people who make up what in my opinion is the greatest one percent and feed you and I every single day.

Thank you to all our farmers who work hard and risk their lives to put food on our tables. Tonight when you bow your head to thank God for your food, don’t forget to also thank him for the hands that grew it.