Tuesday, March 24, 2026 is National Ag Day – a day dedicated to recognizing and celebrating agriculture in the U.S.

Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. But too few people truly understand this contribution. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced, value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy, and appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products.

In celebration of National Ag Day, here are a few fast facts about food and agriculture.

  • In South Dakota, 1 in every 5 jobs is tied to agriculture.
  • The industry has an estimated $32.1 billion economic impact on the state.
  • Nearly 93% of South Dakota farms are family owned and operated.
  • Farmers and ranchers receive only 15 cents (on average) out of every retail dollar spent on food at home and away from home. The rest goes for costs beyond the farm gate: wages and materials for production, processing, marketing, transportation and distribution.
  • One day’s production for a high-producing dairy cow yields 4.8 pounds of butter, 8.7 gallons of ice cream or 10.5 pounds of cheese.
  • Total U.S. corn yield (tons per acre) has increased more than 360% since 1950.
  • Farm and ranch families comprise less than 2% of the U.S. population.
  • On average, one U.S. farm feeds 169 people annually.