National Ag Day is being observed in the United States on March 25. The day, dedicated to increasing the public's awareness of agriculture's vital role in society, has been recognized since the Agriculture Council of America and the National Ag Day program was started in 1973.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, in a radio address, said it is important for people to acknowledge the agriculture industry and its huge social and economic impact on the nation.
"We have the most productive agriculture in the world, which has provided us access to an extraordinary diversity and wide range of food products in this country, which allows us to be food secure," Vilsack said.
Agriculture also serves as a large job creator, with nearly a million jobs supported through ag exports, according to the agriculture secretary.
"With food processing, it represents one of the major manufacturing aspects of our economy. Nearly 5 percent of our economy is attributed to agriculture and food processing, so we are economically secure because of agriculture," he said.