AMES, Iowa – As Iowans and the nation celebrate National Ag Day March 24, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is committed to the many ways this important industry touches all of us.
Whether it’s dealing with adverse weather, volatility in the markets, or a world health crisis, every day is ag day for a farmer, and for the consumers who depend on the goods and services farmers produce.
This year’s National Ag Day theme is “Food Brings Everyone to The Table.” Events are planned across the country to recognize the many contributions of U.S. agriculture, although some events are being canceled or rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Agriculture touches each of us in a multitude of ways,” said Jay Harmon, associate dean for extension and outreach programs and director of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. “Obviously, food, fiber and energy are the main products, but agriculture also provides public value through efforts in sustainability and conservation of our natural resources.”
This past year, ISU Extension and Outreach Agriculture and Natural Resources continued to provide the information and answers that producers and consumers need. Here is a brief look at the numbers:
- 1,961 meetings, workshops and field days were held, providing information on production, business analysis and conservation management.
- Webpage views exceeded 9.43 million views from 5.29 million unique visitors.
- 479 research articles and technical papers were authored by Agriculture and Natural Resources staff, with nearly 2 million print publications downloaded or distributed from the ISU Extension and Outreach Store.
- 90 publications were fully remediated as part of ISU Extension and Outreach’s eAccessibility initiative.
- 350 swine producers attended biosecurity training and learned how to minimize common biosecurity mistakes.
- Crop producers received important updates on controlling thistle caterpillars that led to an economic value of $11-15 per acre for soybean growers.
- More than 115,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables were donated to food pantries and food banks across Iowa, by 22 Iowa Master Gardener organizations.
- 145 people completed the Master Conservationist Program educational training offered by ISU Extension and Outreach.
“Ag and Natural Resources Extension is dedicated to supporting farmers in an endeavor to provide safe, nutritious, and environmentally sound food in an economical way,” Harmon continued.
To learn more about specific resources available, contact an ISU Extension and Outreach specialist or visit the ISU Extension Store.