Ag Day 2022

On This National Ag Day, Let's Celebrate Farmers' Capacity To Provide Food AND Fuel

contributed by Paulsen

We celebrate National Ag Day this year on Tuesday, March 19, to honor farmers, ranchers and other individuals who help move the agricultural industry forward. Our way of life is made possible by their hard work and ingenuity. Setting aside a day each year to thank the women and men who make this happen is the least we can do.

As a marketing and communications agency committed to working in agriculture, we at Paulsen have the privilege of working directly with some of these folks within the industry on a daily basis. Hearing their perspectives on agriculture and some of the biggest challenges they face is always enlightening and helps inform the work we do.

Agriculture provides food for the world

The role farmers and ranchers play within our food supply chain is well-documented and, if not universally acknowledged, universally accepted at the very least. Phrases such as “no farmers, no food” and “farmers feed the world” have become cliche sayings that are all too often brushed aside, for sure, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t true.

In fact, remove any part of the supply chain — farmers and ranchers, on-farm labor, processors, transport and delivery, retailers, grocers, etc. — and you’ll experience significant, life-altering consequences. We experienced this rather acutely during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic: food scarcity, hyperinflation and a handful of other ripple effects threatened our collective well-being due to food supply chain disruptions.

Doing what we can today to advocate for and work toward supporting the agricultural industry and the people who propel it is critical to our future.

Fueling a more sustainable future

It's fair to say that biofuels have radically changed the landscape of farming. The demand for ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel has grown from a small percentage of total agricultural output in the U.S. — and around the world, for that matter — to a far greater piece of the pie over the past 25 years.

In 2000, USDA calculated biofuel production at 4.8 billion gallons annually, representing just 3 percent of the world's fuel supply used in transportation. That figure has grown significantly, reaching a staggering 23 billion gallons per year produced worldwide in 2023. Projections have biofuel production growing even more in coming years due to policy initiatives and market demand for cleaner energy.

When we talk about the environmental impact of farming, the pro-agriculture narrative has largely focused on stewardship efforts such as soil management, mitigating runoff, growing cover crops, and carbon capture. Our farmers have adopted countless practices that improve soil, water and air quality, and that's a story worth telling. However, agriculture's leading role in ensuring an energy-secure and sustainable future through the production of biofuels cannot be overstated.

It's time to reframe the food versus fuel debate

In recent years, many voices have emerged to question whether our agricultural system diverts too much of its resources toward producing biofuels. This line of questioning has appealed to both climate change skeptics on the right and left-leaning environmental progressives — unlikely marriage that it is — amplifying the so-called food versus fuel debate.

But here’s the reality: Our farmers and ranchers have the capacity, drive and determination to do both. They can sustain a growing global population’s dietary needs while simultaneously providing the feedstock needed to drive biofuel production and provide an alternative to sole petroleum dependence. Consider the following rationale:

●        Ag production levels are at an all-time high

Farmers are far more productive than they were a generation ago. Improvements in precision technology, seed genetics, pest management and agronomic practices have led to increased crop yields over time. Animal agriculture has also become far more efficient (more on that in the section below).

●        This isn't entirely an either/or scenario

When grain is processed for biofuel production, much of it is still utilized to put food on our tables. Coproducts such as Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGs), protein-rich cakes/meals and glycerol factor significantly in livestock rations and help maintain our global food supply chain. Furthermore, developments in animal agriculture — including methane digesters on beef and dairy operations — have begun creating a strong inroads into the energy sector, too.

●        Biofuels don't drive food cost increases

It is tempting to pin high prices at the grocery store on grain markets, thereby concluding that biofuel growth has a direct impact on what you pay for a pound of beef. In reality, food costs are far more susceptible to change due to other factors — supply chain disruptions, animal disease, geopolitical conflict and drought — than as a result of biofuel demand.

The next time you hear the food versus fuel debate arise, keep these proof points in mind and know that our farmers and ranchers have long succeeded in providing both.

Celebrate National Ag Day the best way you can

The earliest known agricultural practices emerged 12,000 years ago. Much has changed in the way we grow crops, raise livestock and deliver food from farm to table since then, and we'll continue to witness its evolution as we move forward. But let's take a moment on National Ag Day to pause and celebrate the contributions of all who comprise our ag industry.