JACKSON — Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson was joined by Tommy Stansell with Vicksburg Forest Products, as Gov. Tate Reeves signed a proclamation declaring Tuesday as Agriculture Day in the State of Mississippi.

“I appreciate Gov. Reeves recognizing the importance of agriculture to our state and encouraging our citizens to also recognize the value of our state’s largest industry,” Gipson said. “The agriculture industry contributes over $7 billion to the economy annually in farm-gate value of the commodities produced on our 34,700 farms. Our farmers and ranchers provide food, fiber and shelter, and over the past year, we’ve especially seen the importance of their contributions during the pandemic. Today, I’m honored to celebrate our dedicated ag workers throughout the state.”

This designation of Tuesday as Agriculture Day in Mississippi coincides with National Agriculture Day.

National Ag Day was started in 1973 by the Agriculture Council of America as an effort to encourage every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced, to appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products, to value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy, and to acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.

“Today is an important day, not only to farmers but to all Mississippians,” Reeves said. “Agriculture remains a direct part of daily life for many of our citizens, but it also plays an essential role in all our lives. The people in our agriculture community work to feed and provide for the world, and I am proud to proclaim today as Agriculture Day in the State of Mississippi.”