The National Ag Day essay and video contest submission deadline is right around the corner

Michigan State University Extension encourages Michigan students in grades 9-12 in the 2019-2020 school year to consider entering the National Ag Day Essay Contest before midnight on January 31. The contest includes two categories: written essay and video essay. For a look at last year’s winning entries visit https://www.agday.org/2019-contest-winners. Contest rules, qualifications, judging, scoring and award information can be found at:  https://www.agday.org/essay-contest. The winner of the written essay will receive $1,000 and a trip to Washington D.C. to be recognized on March 24. The winner of the video essay contest will receive $1,000. Both winning entries will be featured on the Ag Day Blog and website.

National Ag Day is sponsored by the Agriculture Council of America and its objectives include celebrating agriculture and helping consumers understand how farmers produce healthy, nutritious and safe food. March 24, 2020 will be a day for producers, agriculture associations, corporations, universities, government agencies, students and educators and many others to recognize and celebrate the bounty of American agriculture. Information and ideas for the 2020 celebration can be found on the National Ag Day website.

We know that when it comes to Michigan agriculture, there is much to celebrate! Michigan is home to roughly 47,600 farms and just under 10 million acres of farmland. Michigan farmers produce more than 300 commodities on a commercial basis, this is second only in diversity to California. So, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and teachers, please encourage your students to write or record an essay on the topic of “Food Brings Everyone to the Table” and enter it in the National Ag Day contest before January comes to an end.

For more information, please contact Mary Dunckel, agriculture literacy educator at 989-354-9875 or [email protected].