LOVELOCK - National Ag Day was celebrated on March 20, which is also the first day of spring, very appropriate. Why celebrate agriculture? Did you eat this morning? Do you have clothes to wear? Does your truck or car pollute less because of biofuels?
The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:
•Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
•Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.
•Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
•Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.
The average American farmer feeds more than 144 people, a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. In this country, the average person spends less than 10 percent of their income on food, much less than other countries. Quite simply, American agriculture is doing more - and doing it better. As the world population soars, there will be an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.
In addition, biofuels are helping motorized vehicles emit less harmful exhaust, while using fewer gallons of imported oil.
Nevada agriculture is deceiving: most of it cannot be seen from the interstate highways. Farming and ranching provides a cornerstone to the economies of rural Nevada counties and improves the quality of life in the urban areas. Farming is concentrated in valleys with water available for irrigation, while vast rangelands and mountains provide grazing for livestock.
Range livestock production predominates in Nevada with well over half of the farms producing cattle or sheep. The highest concentration of cattle is in the northern part of the state. Cow-calf operations are most common, and Elko County ranks second among all counties in the nation in the number of beef cows. Northern Nevada is also home to the vast majority of the sheep.
Dairying is a growing industry in the state, as is the manufacture of dairy products. The dairies are concentrated near the large market centers of Reno and Las Vegas. Horses are big business in Nevada, both for work and pleasure. Swine production is limited and most producers market locally. Alternative livestock enterprises, including goats and llama, are becoming more common.
Nevada's high desert climate is well suited to the production of high quality alfalfa hay, and alfalfa hay accounts for over half of the total value of crops produced in the state. Much of the alfalfa is marketed to dairies in California and a significant quantity is exported overseas.
A variety of other high value crops are gaining in importance to Nevada agriculture. Potatoes, onions, garlic, and alfalfa seed contribute greatly to the total value of production and grain production. Across Nevada lie valleys rich in agricultural resources: most unseen from the interstate highways.
There is an old saying that goes, "If there is plenty of food on the table, there are many problems to discuss. If there is no food on the table, there is only one problem to discuss." So, if you have eaten today, remember to thank a farmer or rancher.
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