National Farm-City Week, 2010

Proclamation 8605 of November 19, 2010

National Farm-City Week, 2010

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

America's farms have long been vital to our Nation.
They contribute to our public health, safeguard our
environmental resources, and stand at the forefront of
our country's path toward energy independence. We must
continue supporting the vital relationship between
American farms and families, and work to ensure that
farming remains an economically, socially, and
environmentally sustainable way of life for future
generations. During National Farm-City Week, we
recognize the myriad contributions our Nation's farmers
and ranchers make toward furthering the health and
well-being of our country.

The connection between rural industries and urban
markets is stronger than ever, and Americans across the
country are finding ways to participate in and
celebrate the importance of agriculture and related
industries. Rising interest in local and regional food
highlights farmers' contributions in connecting urban,
suburban, and rural areas. American children are
learning about the origins of our food and healthy food
options by visiting farms, learning from hard-working
farmers and ranchers, and trying their hand at
agriculture through networks of school gardens and
farm-to-school programs. Thanks to their constant
enterprise and innovation, rural communities are
building new domestic and international markets for
their high-quality food, fuel, and fiber products. As
our agricultural industries continue to feed
individuals at home and around the globe, we must help
ensure robust and vibrant rural communities to support
them.

For agriculture to thrive, we must remain committed to
protecting our valuable natural resources and diverse
ecosystems. In April, I launched the America's Great
Outdoors Initiative to develop a 21st-century
conservation agenda that will reconnect Americans with
the outdoors and protect our Nation's vast and varied
natural heritage. Senior officials throughout my
Administration have travelled across the country to
farms, State fairs, and community meetings to learn
about innovative ways farmers, ranchers, tribes,
conservationists, and concerned citizens are working
together to preserve our rich agricultural legacy.

While we gather with family and friends during this
time of Thanksgiving, let us celebrate farms of every
size that produce the abundance that graces our tables.
During National Farm-City Week, as the bounty of
agriculture moves from America's farms to our tables,
we honor all who foster our healthier future.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim November 19 through
November 25, 2010, as National Farm-City Week. I call
on all Americans to reflect on the accomplishments of
those who dedicate their lives to promoting our
Nation's agricultural abundance and environmental
stewardship.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.