Kathryn J. Boor, food science researcher and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, says National Agriculture Day is a time for people to salute the hard work and dedication of the farmers everywhere who provide the food that nourishes and sustains us.

Boor says:

“To remain successful today’s farmers must be visionary entrepreneurs, gifted financial planners and canny marketing gurus. The business of feeding the world is often unpredictable and unprofitable. When margins are slim an unexpected regulatory change, price fluctuation or a bad growing season can mean the difference between breaking even and breaking the bank.

“With all these challenges to overcome, one can be forgiven for wondering why on earth anyone would choose to farm nowadays. But as the daughter of dairy farmers, I can attest that it is because famers love the land and the lifestyle they have chosen. There is no satisfaction quite as sweet as knowing at the end of a hard day’s labor that all your sweat and toil goes to delivering the wholesome foods that feed families and help communities to thrive. After all, a safe and plentiful food supply is the very foundation upon which our society is built.”

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