HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen thanked producers across the state in celebration of National Agriculture Week and National Ag Day.

National Agriculture Week runs March 20-26, while National Ag Day is Tuesday, March 22, 2022.

“We celebrate our farmers and ranchers year-round in Montana, but we’re especially proud to honor them during National Agriculture Week,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “Montana boasts some of the hardest-working producers in the world, providing food and renewable resources to our great state. Those same farmers and ranchers have registered their businesses with our office, and many continue to pass them down from generation to generation.”

“We encourage the rest of the country to join us in thanking our Montana producers, this week and all weeks,” added Secretary Jacobsen.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte previously proclaimed March 20, 2022, as Montana Meat Day “in honor and support of all Montana farmers and ranchers who feed our state, nation, and world, driving our state’s number one industry.”

National Ag Day is “a time when producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies, and countless others across America gather to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by American agriculture,” according to the National Ag Day website (https://www.agday.org).

Montana producers grow, raise, and make some of the best agriculture products in the nation. According to the Agriculture Council of America, each American farmer feeds more than 165 people — an increase from 25 people in the 1960s.

The organization’s goal is to increase awareness about the agriculture industry and encourage America’s youth to consider a career in agriculture.

“Agriculture is an essential part of our state’s economy,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “Thank you to Montana’s farmers, ranchers, and producers for providing for our great state.”

For more information about agriculture in Montana, visit the Montana Department of Agriculture website.