The Agriculture Council of America has announced the 2023 National Ag Day video and written essay winners. The winners were chosen based on the theme: Growing a Climate for Tomorrow: How American Agriculture Does It Every Day. Entrants chose to either write an essay or create a video.
The national written essay winner, Timothy Hill of Orlando, Florida, receives a $1,000 prize and will read his winning essay at the virtual Ag Day event on March 21, 2023.
Hill’s essay highlights the impacts of climate change on American agriculture’s sustainable farming practices.
In his essay, Hill discusses methods by which farmers are actively reducing their carbon footprint. He writes, “Crop rotation, conservation tillage, cover cropping, and precision agriculture are all examples of sustainable farming practices that help reduce soil erosion, improve soil health, and increase water efficiency. These practices also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to combat climate change. By adopting sustainable farming practices, American agriculture is making a commitment to the environment and to future generations.”
It’s not just farming practices that are making a difference. Hill discusses techniques farmers employ such as precision agriculture, drones, and genetically modified crops — all which reduce environmental impact and efficiency.
He didn’t stop there, Hill hit on other methods farmers and practicing sustainability such as by, “Reducing carbon emissions is also a critical component of growing a climate for tomorrow. Carbon sequestration, renewable energy sources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock are all initiatives that American agriculture is pursuing.”
Simply put, Hill concludes that “American agriculture is doing its part to grow a climate for tomorrow.”
The contest also named three merit winners who receive $100 and blog posts featuring their essays. They are Sophie Griswold of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania; Libby Ramge of Marysville, Ohio; and Elsha Valluru of Highland Village, Texas.
This year’s video essay winner, Olivia Lee of Aliso Viejo, California, also gets a $1,000 prize. You can watch here video here:
Celebrating 50 years, National Ag Day encourages every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products; value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, and fiber industry.
