Bill Clinton

“ From the sowing of crops to the purchasing of food and fiber in urban supermarkets, a network of farmers, agribusiness industries, carriers and shippers, scientists, retail distributors, and consumers has cooperated to ensure that our food supply is safe, affordable, and nutritious. As we gather with family and friends during this special week, let us give thanks for the blessings of our lives, for America's agricultural richness, and for the collaboration among rural and urban communities that makes so much of this bounty possible. ”

“ Agriculture remains our Nation's number one industry, generating $1 trillion in economic activity every year-over 15 percent of our gross domestic product-and it is our largest employer, providing 21 million jobs. ”

“ When America was a new country, farms were many and small. Farmers and their families used most of what they produced, and the rest was usually sold locally. Even in 1862, when Abraham Lincoln created the Department of Agriculture, 60 percent of our labor force gained their livelihood on the farm.
Today, while less than 2 percent of American workers are actually employed on farms, thanks to new approaches and advanced technologies, our farmers feed not only the people of the United States, but also much of the world. ”