Michigan Turns Focus Toward Farming in March with “Agriculture Day”
Michigan is the largest producer of tart cherries in the country; a key aspect of Michigan agriculture
To highlight the importance of food and agriculture in the state of Michigan, Governor Rick Snyder has declared March “Food and Agriculture” month; specifically, March 20 marks “Michigan Agriculture Day.” This is according to recent articles from TheTimesHerald and WNEM.
Dan Lauwers, state representative of Michigan, is the driving force behind “Michigan Ag Day,” which was recently approved in the Michigan House of Representatives with bipartisan support. His goal is to recognize agriculture’s importance to Michigan’s economy, which, Lauwers claims, is often overshadowed by the automotive industry. The TimesHerald article notes that agriculture consistently ranks in the top three industries for the state and has experienced “tremendous growth” in the last few years.
“Michigan produces more than 200 agricultural commodities,” Lauwers said to the TimesHerald. “We’re the lead producer in the nation for 17 of them, and in fact only California beats us for the number of commodities.” Although “Agriculture Day” won’t drive specific programming, it will convey the message that the agricultural industry is not only important now, but that it will be growing in the future, according to the TimesHerald.
"As we move into the growing season in Michigan,” said Rick Snyder in the WNEM article, “it is a perfect time to celebrate the diversity and abundance provided by our state's 55,000 farms.”
Headlined by “Michigan Agriculture Day” on March 20, the state of Michigan will celebrate agriculture throughout the month to emphasize the importance of food and agriculture in the state.
Image courtesy of: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/TartCherries_HealthBenefits.htm