Celebrating National Ag Week

It seems only appropriate that spring break falls during National Ag Week and I have been able to go home and spend some time on the farm. I have been helping my dad with chores and rode with him to town to sell market hogs yesterday. The weather has been beautiful- today it is going to be near 60 degrees! Thank goodness the snow is finally melting and it is beginning to feel like spring.

During National Ag Week I hope you take the time to tell your agricultural story and thank a farmer. They work hard everyday taking care of the crops and livestock. Here are some facts and figures about agriculture in Iowa:

Each year, Iowa farmers produce approximately ...

• 8.2 million turkeys
• 148,000 pounds of cheese
• 3.8 million cattle
• 1,230 million pounds of wool
• 2.1 billion bushels of corn
• 13.8 billion eggs
• 4.13 billion pounds of milk
• 17.3 million hogs
• 235,000 sheep
• 525 million bushels of soybeans

• Iowa has 92,600 farms, 4,000 more than the state had in 2006.
• The state ranks seventh nationally in cattle, tenth in sheep and lamb production and twelfth in milk production.
• Iowa is the top producing state in corn, soybeans, pork, and eggs
• Iowa’s 39 ethanol plants produce a total of 3.27 billion gallons of ethanol annually, more per year than any other state. 
• Thirty nine percent of Iowa’s corn is used to produce ethanol.

For more facts about Iowa's agriculture check out these websites:

Iowa Farm Bureau

Iowa Pork Producers Association

Iowa Beef Industry Council

Iowa Corn Growers Association

Iowa Turkey Federation