Coloring Contest Celebrates National Ag Week

To celebrate National Ag Week, the Allamakee County Farm Bureau is sponsoring a coloring contest for all 3rd and 4th grade students in the county. Agricutural theme coloring sheets will be distributed to area schools on March 14. They will also be available at the Farm Bureau office for home schooled students. A grand prize of ice cream cones and a game "Life on the Farm" will be awarded to the classroom with the best overall entries. A cash prize will be awarded for an individual winner at each school. Winners will be determined on or about March 23.

Agriculture is important to all of us by supplying our food, fiber and clothing . That’s the message of National Ag Week which is celebrated March 20-26, 2005. Starting March 20th, National Ag Day, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America will gather to celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. The coloring contest will help area students become aware of the importance of our local farm economy.

The importance of agriculture increases as the world population soars, creating an even greater demand for the food and fiber that the United States produces. Today's farmers understand the importance of improving the quality and quantity of food available to the world. According to the US Census Bureau, it is estimated that there will be 7.5 billion people in the world by the year 2020. It's agriculture's job to find a way to feed those people. Advancements in crop technology, equipment technology and information management will make that possible. American farmers and others involved in the agriculture industry have met and will continue to meet this challenge again and again.

The Agriculture Council of America, organizers of National Ag Day, believe that every American should understand how food and fiber products are produced and should value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy. They should appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products. National Ag Day will focus on educating Americans about the industry, so they may also acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry. Each year, the National Ag Day program gathers members of the agricultural industry in an effort to promote American agriculture. Focused on sharing how agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis, the National Ag Day program helps educate millions of consumers each year. Join this effort to promote American agriculture to everyone during National Ag Week, March 20-26, 2005. For more information contact the Allamakee County Farm Bureau at 563-568-2527 or the Agriculture Council of America at 913-491-1895.