As part of the National Agriculture Week celebration, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation presented Gov. Jim Pillen with a limited-edition Agriculture Week t-shirt, as well as provided shirts for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton and Deputy Director Hilary Maricle. Pictured from left is Hilary Maricle, assistant director of agriculture, Sherry Vinton, director of agriculture, Mark McHargue, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, Gov. Jim Pillen. Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and Courtney Shreve, director of outreach education for the Foundation.
LINCOLN, NEB. – Today marks the 50th anniversary of National Agriculture Day, a day set aside to celebrate our country’s farmers, ranchers, and all those who work in the agriculture sector across the Nation. Whether you live in a big city, small town, or farm or ranch, agriculture is a part of your everyday life. Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is celebrating agriculture all week, March 19-25, 2023, and using this opportunity to highlight how agriculture can help grow Nebraska.
“Strong communities are always evolving. There is bound to be something new to learn and an unexpected thought to appreciate. Think about everything you have done today. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, and the fuel in your vehicle that helps transport you are all a part of your life because of agriculture. This week we say thank you to all Nebraskans – because every single person interacts with agriculture daily,” said Mark McHargue, president of Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.
As part of the National Agriculture Week celebration, the Foundation presented Gov. Jim Pillen with a limited-edition Agriculture Week t-shirt, as well as provided shirts for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton and Deputy Director Hilary Maricle. The Foundation sold more than 500 of the shirts in preparation for National Agriculture Week. Volunteers throughout the state are wearing the limited-edition shirt and sharing on social media how they see agriculture helping Nebraska communities grow and thrive. Volunteers have been using the hashtags #GrowNebraskaTogether and #TalkAboutAg to share with an online audience. Members of the Nebraska Farm Bureau volunteer Promotion and Education Committee will return to the Capitol Friday to continue the celebration of Nebraska agriculture while speaking with senators and staffers.
The Foundation also partnered with Nebraska’s First Lady Suzanne Pillen to host an online event where Suzanne delivered a message about agriculture and read the agriculture-themed book, “I Love Strawberries!” by Shannon Anderson.
The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation partnered with Nebraska’s First Lady Suzanne Pillen to host an online event where Suzanne delivered a message about agriculture and read the accurate agriculture book, “I Love Strawberries!” by Shannon Anderson.
“With so much of our life depending on agriculture, starting conversations about how agriculture grows Nebraska and making those connections are key to helping every Nebraskan understand agriculture’s role in our society. Nebraska’s economy heavily relies on agriculture to be successful. Agriculture contributes more than $21.4 billion to Nebraska’s economy each year. This contribution is an investment in the environment, local infrastructure, public schools, and career opportunities within agriculture,” said McHargue.
County Farm Bureaus are celebrating National Agriculture Week, with a resource kit compiled by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation to connect with consumers in their communities. More than 5,200 placemats, 1,800 flyers, and 8,700 bookmarks have been ordered and delivered across the state.
Farmers and ranchers across the state were also encouraged to deliver Teacher Surprise Boxes to their local 2nd grade classrooms. The boxes featured fun, hands-on educational learning about Nebraska’s number one industry, and comes complete with educational curriculum, resources, and supplies for teachers to lead activities on their own in the classroom. All 120 available boxes were delivered in February.
Education Specialist with the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation Brooke Temple, and 2023 teacher of the year winner from Schuyler, Nebraska Ann Sobota, wear their Grow Together t-shirts celebrating National Ag Day. The Foundation sold more than 500 of the shirts in preparation for National Agriculture Week.
In addition to delivering materials, County Farm Bureau volunteers across the state are reading agriculture-themed books to elementary classes, providing free learning materials, organizing coloring contests, and engaging with their local FFA Chapters to partner on agriculture literacy hands-on activities. National Agriculture Week is a time for all Nebraskans to come together to recognize how they interact with agriculture daily. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation strives to build communities that understand the vital importance of agriculture every day.
The mission of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote an understanding of the vital importance of agriculture in the lives of all Nebraskans. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more information about the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, visit www.nefbfoundation.org.
