National Ag Day is March 24, 2020. It’s a special day to recognize and celebrate the contributions of agriculture. We should all “thank a farmer” at every meal and every time we get dressed. Therefore, National Ag Day is an organized effort to do just that. See the Agriculture Council of America’s website for more details: https://www.agday.org/.

Especially today, the agricultural community is showing its every-day-grit. It does so by continuing its important calling of feeding and clothing the world in the face of the current COVID-19 outbreak. Today, children in rural families are home due to school closures. They are working alongside their parents to provide food and fiber for the other 99% of the population. Safety requires shutting down many industries to avoid spreading the virus. However, the agricultural and trucking sectors are working as hard as ever to ensure the rest of us have what we need to weather the storm. Planting, harvesting, milking, and calving do not stop in the face of a pandemic.

COVID-19 Restrictions Exclude Agriculture

Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued an executive order on March 17th prohibiting gatherings over 25 people. Certain organizations (like farmers markets) didn’t know whether they would need to shut down operations as a result of the order. Consequently the Oregon Department of Agriculture issued guidance on March 20th. This guidance identified farmers, ranchers, food processors, farm workers, truckers, and service suppliers as “essential services” that are not required to shut down in response to the Governor’s order.

Schroeder Law Offices extends a giant “THANK YOU!” to the agriculture community. Agriculture is the backbone of the Nation on National Ag Day, during times of illness, and every day! It is truly our pleasure to provide water rights support to the agriculture community on National Ag Day and always.

Photo: The children of Bingham Beef in North Powder, Oregon, hearing “another job” during their extended “spring break.” Photo credit: Carly Carlson.