American Farmers are the Best in the World
Another example of my editorial writing. My high school did not have an Agricultural curriculum or FFA Program. I felt like the newspaper and editorial writing was my opportunity to educate my peers about agriculture and be an advocate for the industry. This article was written during the spring of 2020.
In 2017 Agriculture Trade contributed $17.2 billion to the US economy, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Agricultural trade can contribute this amount to the economy because other countries seek out the quality agricultural products that American farmers produce. But why do foreign delegations seek out American made agriculture products?
The answer is very complex, but the simple answer is, America is one of the biggest, if not the biggest producer of quality agriculture products worldwide, meaning the American farmer is able to produce large quantities of high-quality products, which foreign delegations are in search of.
I was raised on a purebred beef cattle farm so naturally I feel it is extremely important for the U.S, to export beef, for the American people to understand the impact agriculture has and to be a smart consumer.
The U.S. leads the world in beef production, accounting for over 20% of the worlds beef. The American beef producer can provide the world with large quantities of high-quality beef.
The U.S. exports the most beef to Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Canada and China. These five countries represent 83.7% of total U.S. beef exports. A foreign delegation would not only be purchasing a large quantity of beef, but it would be also consistently good quality.
The USDA has created a system of eight beef quality grades understanding these eight quality grades is important and being a smart consumer of beef. Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Cutter and Canner. These grades are based on how much marbling (or intermuscular fat) are in a cut of meat and the maturity (the age of the animal at slaughter), of the carcass.
A Prime cut is the best quality of beef a consumer can purchase. In a Prime steak the consumer can often see the most marbling, which accounts for the flavor and tenderness. Though only approximately 3% of all beef in the U.S. is considered Prime and it is typically reserved for high-end restaurants.
A foreign delegation is most likely to be purchasing U.S. Choice beef which accounts for roughly 50 percent of all graded beef in America. Yes, Choice is less marbling than Prime, but Choice is the most widely available and affordable quality cut.
A foreign delegation should want to purchase any U.S. Agriculture product, but American consumers in particular should be looking to purchase American beef because the American farmer can produce quality product in large amounts, making the U.S. farmer the perfect supplier.
Consumers can feed their people quality and affordable goods. After all, American farmers are the best in the world at what they do. Technology, USDA regulations, and advancements make American agriculture products the best that one can find.