Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

Last week, we celebrated National Agriculture Day, a time to highlight the work thousands of Georgians do to make the agriculture industry in America the greatest in the world.

These are our nation’s farmers, ranchers, foresters and producers. This includes those who manufacture and sell equipment, who drive trucks and barge to move products, who provide seed and fertilizer, and who store, process and market these products.

In Georgia, agriculture is our number one industry. It accounts for one in seven jobs in our state and there are more than 42,000 farms that call Georgia home. I grew up working in the soybean fields and the feedlot of my family’s farm. I know firsthand how hard those in agriculture work to provide poultry, peanuts, pecans, cotton, cattle and blueberries for their families and neighbors. Our farmers take risks every day, and are exposed to global markets and changing regulations, technology, consumer preferences and economic pressures. That is especially true right now as our country faces the coronavirus outbreak.

We have all seen how vital each role in our supply chain is, from the ground to the grocery store, and from the cotton gin through the Savanah Harbor to the global export market.  Americans are used to a readily available supply of food. But in recent weeks, we have seen empty aisles in supermarkets. But we know that this is not the new normal. The shelves are quickly restocked because of the tireless work that is done each day by our farmers, food processors, truck drivers and store clerks and personnel. Without each of them, empty shelves and food shortages would be the norm.

Today, Americans are heeding the call to protect themselves from the coronavirus. At the same time, I applaud the agribusiness for continuously managing their production, processing and manufacturing. It is not just planting and harvest. While some businesses are being forced to take measures to slow their operations, many in the agriculture industry are seeing unprecedented demand. Without question, everyone is dealing with uncertainty and volatility.

Right now in Georgia, fruit and vegetables are being planted. Cotton and peanuts will be planted very soon. Some products, like Georgia’s Vidalia onions, will be harvested in the next month. As we recover from this crisis in the months to come, farmers will still be in their fields, working tirelessly to ensure that Americans have access to the food and products that they need.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, I am strongly committed to supporting America’s leading role in agriculture. Recently, Senator Perdue and I urged the Trump Administration to support our farmers by enabling flexibility for the labor that they rely on for their harvest and planting. And this week, Congress passed the third coronavirus relief bill that includes $9.5 billion for agriculture producers and $100 million to expand broadband in rural areas. The bill also includes two provisions for rural America I worked to include to expand telehealth and fund rural health care programs that are so needed in our small communities. This comes in the form of economic aid for agribusiness and farmers – whether through small business loans or other facilities to support for resources like telecommunications and broadband.

Agriculture is perhaps the world’s most important industry, and it is vital to celebrate their contributions every year. But during this year’s National Agriculture Day, we should pause and recognize where our country would be today without the contribution of the American agriculture industry – without the contribution of Georgia’s farmers.

As we face this unprecedented challenge, we couldn’t do it without those who feed and clothe the world.