This year, Ag Day celebrates 50 years of recognizing and honoring the importance of American agriculture, and Libby Ramge of Marysville, Ohio, is being nationally recognized for her merit-winning essay in the National Ag Day Essay Contest.

Ramge, a junior at Marysville High School, is one of three merit winners touting the benefits of agriculture in preparation for 2023 National Ag Day on March 21.

The Agriculture Council of America picked a national winner and three merit winners in the written category and one video winner, who all prepared comments based on the theme, “Growing a Climate for Tomorrow: How American Agriculture Does It Every Day.”

The national written essay winner, Timothy Hill of Orlando, Fla., received a $1,000 prize and will read his winning essay at the virtual Ag Day event March 21.

For the merit winners — who in addition to Ramge included Sophie Griswold of Chadds Ford, Pa., and Elsha Valluru of Highland Village, Texas — they received $100 and blog posts featuring their essays.

In Ramge’s essay, she writes, “The climate is changing faster than the farmers, plants and animals can adapt to it. So, as agriculturalists, every day we focus on how to be better toward the environment.”

She adds, “Agriculturalists are among some of the proudest environmental stewards. We want a world that can sustain future generations, and it is our job to make that possible. With a sustainable environment, we can continue feeding the world, caring for the land, and educating consumers.”

This year’s video essay winner, Olivia Lee of Aliso Viejo, Calif., won a $1,000 prize. 

The winning entries can be viewed at agday.org/2023-contest-winners.

The Ag Day Essay Contest is sponsored by CHS Inc., National Association of Farm Broadcasting, Farm Progress and Successful Farming.

National Ag Day encourages every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products; value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy; and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.

Learn more and register for events at agday.org.