President's Column - A Nation Under God, Built by Agriculture
As our nation prepares to celebrate America's 250th birthday, I find myself reflecting on the deep connection between agriculture, faith, and the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.
For 250 years, American agriculture has helped feed our country, fuel our economy, and strengthen our communities. That's why this July 4 we not only celebrate our country but also the generations of farm and ranch families whose hard work, sacrifice, and stewardship helped build this nation.
A lot has changed since America's founding. Technology has transformed how we plant crops, raise livestock, and care for the land. Information travels instantly. Equipment is larger, more efficient, and more precise than ever before.
Yet some things haven't changed at all.
Farmers and ranchers are still dependent on weather we cannot control. We still invest in a crop before we know what harvest will bring. We still care for livestock through drought, storms, and uncertainty. And we still face the challenge that every generation before us has faced, finding a way to remain profitable and pass our operations on to the next generation.
This year, those challenges are especially real. Wildfires have impacted Nebraska farm and ranch families, destroying pasture, fencing, and forage. Most of our state continues to battle severe drought conditions that threaten crops, livestock, and livelihoods. For many producers, the road ahead remains uncertain.
That is why I believe the Day of Prayer for Nebraska Agriculture on June 18 is so meaningful. Together, our prayers will lift up Nebraska’s farm and ranch families, rural communities, and all those whose livelihoods depend on agriculture.
As Americans, we proudly recite the Pledge of Allegiance and affirm that we are "one nation, under God." Those words matter. They remind us that while we value hard work, personal responsibility, and perseverance, we also recognize that there are challenges bigger than ourselves.
Faith has always been a part of rural America. It sustains us through difficult seasons and reminds us that we are never facing hardship alone.
As we celebrate 250 years of freedom and opportunity, let us also remember the faith that has carried generations of farm and ranch families through good years and bad. Our challenges may look different than those faced by those who came before us, but the values that sustain us, faith, family, hard work, and love of country, remain as strong as ever.
May God continue to bless our farms, our ranches, our rural communities, and the United States of America.
Best regards,
Mark McHargue