Thank You, Farmworkers

By Katie Ramagos Nuñez 

Louisiana Farm Bureau

Growing up on a farm, I was fortunate to see first-hand how family farms operate, how hard farmers work, and what it takes to produce food for consumers. The farm has many moving pieces that make it work, day in and day out, and one of the most invaluable parts is the farmworkers. Farming is not an easy job, working long days in all elements and being constantly dependent on uncertain weather conditions. My viewpoint of farming and farmworkers is a little different than most, having grown up on a farm. As a consumer and now a mom and a labor consultant, I appreciate that view even more.  

From family farms, we THANK YOU farmworkers. Thank you for working to keep the family farms running and in business. You help us plant, cultivate, harvest, process and haul our crops so that we may continue to be proud to say we are a family farm for generations to come. Farmworkers, you are the backbone of our business and critical to our food supply chain.  

From parents and families, we THANK YOU farmworkers. Thank you for providing a safe food supply for our families. Even when you leave your families every day and sometimes months at a time from other countries to help provide the safest food supply on earth. Your sacrifice to work on farms, to be away from your family, and to work to help produce the food we feed our families across the world is something you and your families can be proud of, because we certainly are.

From consumers, we THANK YOU farmworkers. Thank you for keeping the grocery stores stocked. In the last few years of uncertain times, consumers saw firsthand how farms and farmworkers worked tirelessly to keep the grocery stores stocked and the food supply chain open. No matter what was going on in the rest of the world, farms were open, and farmworkers worked to continue to make sure there was food on our tables.

Farmworkers, today we appreciate you. Your hard work may often be behind the scenes but please know that it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Today may be Farmworker Appreciation Day, but every day anyone enjoys a meal is one we should be thanking a farmworker.  

On behalf of everyone who’s ever eaten and from the bottom of this farmer’s daughter and mother’s heart, I sincerely thank you today and every day.