Gov. Dave Heineman has declared March 4-10 Nebraska Agriculture Week.  Nebraska Agriculture Week coincides with National Agriculture Week.
To celebrate, Gov. Heineman will be joined by representatives of Nebraska Farm Bureau and Greg Ibach, Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture for an agriculture tour on Friday, March 16th with stops in Ainsworth, Alliance and Grand Island.
Nebraska’s largest industry is agriculture. Each year, cash receipts from farm marketing contribute over $17 billion dollars to Nebraska’s economy. Nebraska is first in the nation for red meat, Great Northern bean and popcorn production. Nebraska consistently ranks in the nation’s top five producers of corn, soybeans, hay, and dry edible beans, and top 10 for production of hogs, grain sorghum, winter wheat and table egg layers. Additionally, Nebraska consistently ranks in the top four states in the nation in agricultural exports.
    According to Nebraska Farm Bureau, one of every three jobs in Nebraska exists because of Nebraska agriculture – in farming and ranching, food and fuel processing, marketing, distribution, research, and regulation.
    As part of Nebraska’s celebration of National Ag Week, Governor Dave Heineman and Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Greg Ibach have announced the winners of the 2012 NDA poster contest.
    In its ninth year, the contest generated 1,400 entries from first through sixth grade students from across Nebraska.  This year’s theme was:  “Nebraska Agriculture: Feeding My Family.”
    Among the entries earning honors are:
3rd & 4th Grades:
Governor’s Choice Award – Shalyn Harris a third grader from Calvert Elementary in Auburn.
2nd Place – Jocelyn Lambert a third grader from Calvert Elementary in Auburn.
    The winning posters can be viewed at the NDA web site at www.agr.ne.gov.