A special Ag Day Message from Dana McKinney, County Executive Director, Lincoln/Garrard Farm Service Agency

March 21 is National Agriculture Day – a day designated each year by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA) to celebrate the accomplishments of agriculture. Name County Farm Service Agency (FSA) joins the council in recognizing farmers and ranchers for their contributions to the nation’s outstanding quality of life. This year’s theme is Agriculture: Food for Life.
This year’s theme spotlights the hard work of American producers who work tirelessly to provide food, fiber and more to the United States and countries around the world. According to the 2012 Agriculture Census, there are 3.2 million farmers and ranchers in the United States.
 FSA is rural America’s engine for economic growth, job creation and development, offering local, personal service to millions of rural producers.  In 2016, FSA invested $22 billion in agricultural infrastructure, supporting nearly 225,000 jobs nationwide.  This included 40,000 direct and guaranteed operating loans; along with critical support for hundreds of thousands of producers experiencing livestock and forage losses caused by floods, drought and other disasters.
 FSA provides financial protection to half the nation’s dairies, safe storage facilities to producers, inspects over 3,000 licensed public warehouses, provides food assistance valued at $667 million and partners with states and organizations to support production of American-made renewable fuel.  Additionally, through the Conservation Reserve Program, the agency encourages conservation of sensitive lands and works with nonprofit agencies to enhance wildlife through habitat improvement.    
 I am honored to administer programs that enable our producers to manage their risks when the agriculture industry faces hardship.  On behalf of the Name County Farm Service Agency, I would like to thank our farmers and ranchers for continuing to feed our nation and the world.