The annual event was created by the Agriculture Council of America in 1973. It seeks to highlight the contributions farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers make on a daily basis to both the food and fiber supplies on which consumers rely.
In Arkansas, those contributions are extensive. According to the Arkansas Agriculture Profile, compiled by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, there are about 37,400 farms in Arkansas, covering about 13.7 million acres. Additionally, forestry accounts for the largest area of agriculture in the state and about 57 percent of the landmass in Arkansas.
Agricultural production contributes approximately $24.3 billion to the state’s economy each year and accounts for one in every seven Arkansas jobs, certainly justifying an annual celebration of the industry, according to John Anderson, senior associate vice president for agriculture-extension and director of the Cooperative Extension Service.
“Our farmers and ranchers are integral to the success of our state and the well-being of our citizens,” Anderson said. “They provide the food, fiber and forest products we couldn’t live without while contributing to the growth of our state’s economy.”
Anderson added that the Division of Agriculture will continue to support growers through research and extension efforts.
“As an organization it is our job to support our state’s agricultural producers, and we do so by providing research-based information aimed at maximizing profitability and sustainability,” Anderson said. “By focusing on these two goals, we can help our state’s operations thrive.”
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
