In a county that boasted an agricultural commodity value of $3.7 billion in 2013 alone, it is almost too easy to understand why the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors took action to proclaim today as a celebration for National Agriculture Day throughout the county.

“The great thing about this day is that it is making a significant effort to promote farm to fork endeavors that source local restaurants and grocery stores,” said County Supervisor Vito Chiesa. “We are trying to build name recognition and really honor our number one driver of the economy, which is agriculture.”

The celebration of National Agriculture Day began in 1973 under the Agricultural Council of America, an organization made up of leaders in the agriculture, food and fiber communities. Through this coalition, ACA aims to increase public awareness regarding the role of agriculture in today’s society.

“Hopefully, National Ag Day will bring attention to how important agriculture is and how it is important to not only to teach the students who are majoring in agriculture and those fields, but also to how important it is to teach the other students who are not even interested in agriculture,” said Stanislaus County Agricultural Commissioner Milton O’Haire.

“Everyone still needs to understand where their food comes from, how the business is conducted, how important food is to daily life, as well as nutrition and health,” continued O’Haire.

As its name suggests, National Agriculture Day does not just take place in Stanislaus County. Rather it has been celebrated throughout the country in order to recognize and celebrate the prosperous opportunities provided by agriculture.

Through National Agriculture Day, ACA hopes to enforce the organization’s core values, which include helping every American understand how food is produced, appreciate the role of agriculture in the country, and consider all various career opportunities made available through agriculture.

To find out more about National Agriculture Day, visit agday.org.