March 20 is National Agriculture Day. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) joins the Agriculture Council of America (ACA) to celebrate the accomplishments of agriculture.
By Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist
It’s National Agriculture Day, a day designated each year to celebrate the accomplishments of agriculture. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is joining the Agriculture Council of America and others to recognize farmers, ranchers and foresters for growing the nation’s food, fiber and fuel.
This year’s theme, Agriculture: Food for Life, spotlights the hard work of American producers, many of whom have partnered with FSA to manage risk, conserve natural resources and invest in their operations.
Farming Runs in the Family
Meet John and Pat Sondgeroth, fourth-generation farmers who began operating their grain and livestock farm in 1987, where they raise and process Piedmontese beef. The farm has been in John’s family for over a century, established in 1903 by his great-grandfather.
The Sondgeroths are owners and operators of Heartland Meats in Mendota, Illinois, and have been selling their meat products at farmers markets in the Chicago area for 17 years.
“Educating consumers is a challenge in the agriculture industry,” John said. “We have to tell our story, what we do, why we do it and how. It’s a necessity.”
John and Pat Sondgeroth (left) have been selling their meat products at farmers markets in the Chicago area for 17 years. Garfield Jarret (right) works with veterans to teach them how to farm, and teaches community volunteers in South Florida about agriculture.
A Veteran at Organic Growing
In Homestead, Florida, Garfield Jarret, a Marine Corps veteran, is the owner and operator of Cool Runnings Organic Farms. Jarrett’s operation is diverse, raising goats, poultry and rabbits, in addition to growing a variety of vegetables and tropical fruits, such as longans, starfruit and jackfruit.
“I did all the different types of therapy you can do as a veteran,” Jarret said. “I tried them all but didn’t get the same connection as I get when I work with the land. I can live a happy and healthy life.”
Jarret’s business is community oriented. He collaborates with Florida International University’s Agroecology Program to help educate students. He also works with veterans to teach them how to farm, teaches community volunteers about agriculture and also works with a faith-based halfway house to help people find a life purpose.
Farm to Hors D’oeuvres
In the Midwest, the Hemme family has been rooted in the dairy business in Saline County, Missouri, for the past 22 years. The idea for Hemme Brothers Creamery was born when David Hemme’s four sons approached him about coming back to the farm and being a part of the business.
Hemme Brothers cheese can be found in stores across Missouri. The Hemme’s own German heritage was inspiration for one of their signature products – German quark, a spreadable cheese akin to cream cheese.
“We wanted a unique cheese. We wanted something that gives identity to our community and where we’re from,” Hemme said.
The Hemme family is involved in every step of their operation, feeding their cows grasses, hay and grain from their own farm.
David Hemme (left) has been rooted in the dairy business in Missouri for the past 22 years. Roger Brockman (right) grows Aronia berries, a perennial crop, on his operation in Nebraska.
Watching a Farm Grow
Northwest of Hemme Brothers Creamery, Roger Brockman is the owner of Fox Run Berry Farm in Gretna, Nebraska, where he grows aronia berries, a perennial crop native to some of the Eastern and Midwestern states.
“We put our first bushes in the ground in 2010,” Brockman said. “It normally takes three to four years after planting before you get a crop. Two years ago, we put 1,400 more bushes in the ground.”
Fox Run Berry Farm is part of a group of organic growers who grow aronia berries for an intermediate processor, Sawmill Hollow Family Farm.
Brockman says the most rewarding part about being involved with agriculture is working with the land, planting and watching his yield grow.
FSA Assistance for Your Farm
To ensure a prosperous future for American agriculture, FSA provides continuous support to farmers and ranchers across the country, like John and Pat Sondgeroth, Garfield Jarret, David Hemme and Roger Brockman.
For more information about FSA programs and services, visit https://www.fsa.usda.gov/.
