By Brooke L. RollinsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberAgriculture forms the backbone of our nation, in more ways than one.
This Thanksgiving, my heart is filled with gratitude for the tireless efforts of America’s farmers and ranchers to produce an abundant and affordable food supply.
Last week I was on a Nahunta Community farm in Kenly, N.C. to see firsthand the work our farmers do to ensure all of us have a turkey on our dinner tables this Thanksgiving.
...And once again, in continuation of the time-honored custom, our farmers will be on center stage at the White House where two American raised turkeys will be pardoned by President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden. This tradition represents the intersection of our national heritage and American agriculture, shining a spotlight on the hard work that our incredible Turkey farmers and producers do year-round to keep America fed and healthy.
Thanksgiving is more than a day off from work—it is the perfect time to take stock of the many blessings we enjoy and those responsible for them.
It gives us the opportunity to slow down, gather with family and friends and in the words of George Washington’s famous Thanksgiving Proclamation, “unite in rendering unto [God] our sincere and humble thanks” for the grace he continually pours forth in our lives and on our nation.
The story of the first Thanksgiving in 1621 tells of two peoples, coming together in Plymouth, Mass. after a season of hardship, survival and an abundant harvest. Despite their differences, gratitude toward a loving God and the fruits of agriculture brought them together.
Much has changed in America over the past four centuries since that first gathering, but the goodness of God and the goodness of agriculture remain the same.
The success of our lands and livestock also depends on the farmers, ranchers and producers whose daily toil makes life possible for the rest of us. Our nation has a long history of appreciating the agricultural community—and not merely for its indispensable role in maintaining America’s food supply.
As Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1785, “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to [its] liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.” It’s no wonder, then, that a recent nationwide survey found that rural America is more optimistic than urban dwellers about the future of our nation.
Although 90 percent of our people were farmers at the time of our founding nearly 250 years ago, and now only about 1.2 percent are, the fact remains this small percentage is constitutive of all the rest. It is a bastion of virtue, of patriotism, of fidelity to the timeless traditions of faith and family life, and of hope for what’s on the horizon. Amid the busyness and worries of life, the other 98.8 percent of America would do well to learn from our fellow citizens, who have remained close to the land and the lessons it teaches.
And above all, as the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians, we should “in everything give thanks.”
As we approach Thanksgiving, let’s truly embrace that spirit of gratitude and direct it toward those who deserve it most.
To every farmer out there: thank you. The Trump administration will continue fighting every day to protect your land and your way of life. Our nation depends on it.
Brooke L. Rollins is the 33rd United States secretary of Agriculture.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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