"How Agriculture Impacts Me Every Day" Essay Contest Winners

Posted: 3/18/2013

Winner
By Matea Gordon, Third Grade Sturgis Elementary

"When I wake up, I put my blue jeans and t-shirt on. That is agriculture because farmers raise cotton. Then I eat Wheaties and drink milk for breakfast. That is agriculture because farmers raise wheat and dairy cows. When my dad drives me to school, I see wide open spaces and birds and deer. That is agriculture because farmers take care of the land.

At school, I use books, paper and my pencil. That is agriculture too because farmers raise trees. At recess, I play basketball with my friends and the boys play football. This is agriculture because leather comes from the pigs and cattle that farmers raise. At lunch we have hamburgers and French fries thanks to farmers.

After school, my dad fills up the pickup with ethanol. That is agriculture because corn is used to make ethanol for fuel. Plastics can also be made from corn and soybeans.

At supper time my mom makes pizza and we have ice cream for dessert, and I tell my little brother that each of the ingredients came from farmers.

In conclusion agriculture is everywhere and I use agriculture every day. I Love Agriculture!

Winner
Grant Gubrud, Fourth Grade, Deuel Elementary, Clear Lake

I dont live on a farm, I live by a lake and agricultrue doesn't really impact me very much.  HA!  I found out that this is not the truth.  Let me tell you about my day.

This morning, I woke up and I noticed a few new things.  The sheets on my bed are 100% cotton and I am thankful that the cotton farmers work every day so I have nice sheets to sleep on.  Aftger I got out of bed, I looked for my clothes.  I grabbed a pair of socks and wow, they are cotton too!  Next, I needed som pants.  My jeans were in the drawer and thank goodness they were because it is cold in South Dakota and without pants, it is even colder.  Again I am happy that somone makes cotton so I can get out of bed and get dressed.  Agriculture does have an impact on me. 

When I went upstairs to eat breakfast, I read that my cereal is whole grain.  That means it comes from grains that farmers grow.  I am happy I have cereal, but the next thing I needed was...milk!  Oh boy, the milk comes from cows and dairy farms all over this country.  If I didn't have milk, I would be putting water on my cereal, yuck!

Gee, I haven't even left for school yet and agriculture seems to be everywhere.  I don't live on a farm, I live by a lake and agriculture impacts me - big time!

 

Honorable Mention
Lane Stern, Webster Area Elementary School

Agriculture impacts all of us every day in several different ways such as the food we eat and the clothes we wear and also to the fuel we put into our pickups.  Agriculture impacts me every day in different ways also.  I get to go to my grandpa's and do chores.  He has taught me the importance of responsibility because the livestock have to be taken care of every day.  I have also learned how to work with and take care of the equipment.  Agriculture has impacted me in ways that I will use every day of my life for years to come.  I have learned math by how much food to feed the animals and how much chemical to put on each acre of land.  I have used math to figure out how mcuh money it takes to raise an animal each year also.  I have also learned how to ready by reading the feed bag labels and agricultural magazines.  My mom is a crop adjuster and has tought me how to measure fields and how to use a map to find places.  Agriculture has impacted and transformed me into the person I am today and who I will become tomorrow. 

 

Honorable Mention
Michelle Kangas, Hamlin Elementary

My clothes I put on in the morning are made out of cotton.  When I go to bed, I lay on cotton sheets.  When I wake up in the morning, I go downstairs and sit on the couch and notice there is cotton in the furniture too.

Then I have some breakfast, which is some eggs and cereal, and I notice that I need some milk.  The eggs come from chickens, the cereal comes from grains, and the milk comes from cows.

Our church has sprayfoam insulation that's made out of soybean and the Bible has pages made out of flax straw.

We go to the store, and DI take out my wallet and guess what?  the leather is made from a cow!  We go get some hamburgers, and it comes from a cow!  The bread that we buy is made from wheat.  We fill our car up with some gas.  There is ethanol in the gas which comes from corn.  At the gas station, I buy a can of pop.  It has corn syrup in it.  We eat products made from corn and also burn in our car engines.

Ag taxes help keep our school operating.  May dad works at a buisness that sells and repairs farm equipment.  That's how we are able to eat and pay our bills.

When we drive our van home, there is plastic on the door, and that plastic is made out of soybeans.

And, that is why agriculture is very important to me.

 

Honorable Mention
Kenedy Kae Koepsell, Howard Elementary

Agricutlture has a big impact on my life in many ways.  My family has a great tradition of farming.  May parents were raised on farms, and they learned how to work hard and be responsible.  Those skills have been passed down from many generations and down to me.  Many of my ancestors have farmed which earned them a living for their families for years.

Agriculture provides the world with food.  Much of our protein like meat comes from farms like my Grandpas' here in South Dakota.  Many other food sources come from different places such as southern states where we get some of our fruits and vegetables.

Agricultue also benefits our environment.  It gives nutrients to the soil. It also provides wildlife with shelter and food.

Agricultue is an important part of our economy.  It provides jobs to people.  For example, products go from a farm to a factory to get packaged, then to a grocery store to get sold. It provides fobs for the farmer, the factory worker and for the grocery store workers.  In my opinion supporting agriculture is the key to a bright future.